The 8th Year Student
by Virgil McMeanie
Summary: (Finished) New transfer student George arrives at Hogwarts, and shares rooms with Prof. Snape. A reluctant friendship eventually, magnified by the horribly different backgrounds. Heaps of songs. Lots of colorful language, and this is my first fic.
1. Chapter One Hogwarts

George's 8th Year  
  
  
Chapter One--Hogwarts  
  
George Flaing walked alone through the great oak doors and passed into the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, shoes scuffing along the outer walls. "Incredible" was muttered several times under a sharp intake of breath, staring unabated up at the loftiness of the room. No one was there to greet the new student, though the letter said to arrive promptly at 10am. Looking down, the silly looking Mickey Mouse watch confirmed the time and the Muggle sentiments of the wearer.   
  
"Uh…. Hello? Is anyone here?" More silence. "YO!" Silence. "Anyone…..Anyone at all?" Hmmm, Walking further into the room towards another set of large oak doors. "Echo! Echo, Echo."   
  
Great. Thought George. I've come all this way for a special appointment to meet up with the Headmaster and No one's here. I have the run of the school for myself…hmm, what to do, what to do…well, before I get caught, though with no one else here, it won't be very much fun. First things first…try to open this door. Hands gripped tightly around the wrought-iron door handles, Yanking with as much might as George's solid frame could muster--not a budge. So George, who was feeling a bit hyperactive anyway, proceeded to assault it-verbally "Let me in! Hey, you in there! I'm He-re! Where are you all? Yo teachers! Open up, damn door! Alohomora! Freakin…..I hate you door! Open Seasame-"  
  
"You push it to open it, you imbecile." A cold and deep voice came from directly behind. "And you are?" A very tall and thin pale man was glaring down and obviously waiting for an answer. Didn't even hear him approaching. Darn. Hate that!   
  
First instinct was to retort, 'You mama', or glare back 'what's it to you' but instead-chin thrust out-defiantly said. "George Flaing. I'm the new transfer student. I was told to come 2 weeks early to meet with the headmaster. Who are you?"  
  
That question caught the sneering man off-guard apparently, "You'll find out in due time." Giving a very odd, side-long look, he continued, "You are coming from the Institute in Poland, correct?" Without waiting for an answer, he pushed open the doors into what appeared to be an antechamber of sorts and gestured with a long, knobby hand to follow.   
  
"I personally think that the Institute is a waste of time and of students' education. There are no practical tests whatsoever, thus your old headmaster sends the lot of you out into the world with no real knowledge, just a lot of physical education classes under your belt. International Accreditation needs to A pity, truly. Churning out world-class Quidditch players, but not a single thinker amongst the many of you." Hm, if he was trying to win over new friends, George thought, he's doing a lousy job at it.   
  
Looking at the man, assuming he was one of her professors of course, as he leaned back into an ottoman across from the one just claimed by George. Man, He's skinny! If he tried to pick his nose with those skeletal fingers, he'd probably bleed…or his hand might get sucked into that cavernous void that was his huge conk.   
  
"Fascinating." George piped up, as she purposefully turned her nose up at him. Is there a point coming?! I love getting ripped apart for things wholly outta my control. Man, you're cocky. Losing patience, George stood up, drawing the attention of the complaining-professor, who turned cold, black eyes on George. "Um, could you show me to Dumbledore already?"  
  
Likewise standing the man sneered, "He is to join you in a few moments, but as it's so obvious that you find my company so trying-let me assure you the feeling is mutual-I'll leave now." Inward cheer, inward cheer.  
  
Sitting back down with a 'Humph' and a roll of the brown eyes, before surveying the professor, who was now stalking out of the doors they'd entered in only minutes before. "Headmaster Dumbledore will be here in a minute." Turning one last time, He pointed his finger and said, "DON'T touch anything. And DON'T move." Finally leaving, he muttered under his breath, "And she's supposed to be smarter than average? I can just smell a discipline problem about to start here…"  
  
Ha Ha, just what she was looking--for someone to play with. This was going to be fun, as Georgie rolled her eyes once more and swore hopefully just loud enough for him to hear as he slammed the doors shut. Everyone called her Georgie, but she didn't feel up to volunteering that information out. She rolled her eyes once more, then she burped. She was always burping.  
  
  
  
Scrutinizing the almost wall-length fireplace, George hadn't heard anyone else come in. Slowly running her eyes over the carvings and crannies, she jumped as a voice called out,"There's a secret latch there, you know."  
  
Looking up, she saw seated on the couch, door closed behind him, sat an old, gray wizard with a jolly expression on his face. She stood up fully to regard him, smiling. "Headmaster Dumbledore. You must be Ms. Flaing. Pleasure to make your acquaintance young lady."  
  
"Likewise, Sir." She replied, impressed with his niceness and all, well compared to the last thing she saw in here. "And the latch is on the fourth bunch of carved grapes on the right of the grating." She said, smiling to herself.  
  
He smiled even bigger at that. "I see what they say about you is true. So lets sit down and discuss this coming year for you. Please take a seat."  
  
George ambled slowly over-such formalities went against the grain for her, but she figured she'd get used to it, or else stick out like a sore thumb.  
  
Dumbledore began: "You have completed your seventh year at The Institute of Poland, and you've been studying advanced healing and magical-physics under your former Professors at the school. However-now this is all according to your recommendation letter from your old Headmaster-you now wish to relocate after school to a country in the West, preferably here. To be taken seriously for any real job you will have had to spend at least one year at an approved school. We generally do not take students from The Institute, as the curriculum is so very different from our own here, but we are making an exception in your case.   
  
"Now, your Headmaster writes also that though you are very clever, but that you tend to fall behind when a lack of motivation, or challenges, becomes present. So, this year at Hogwarts will be for you as challenging and stimulating as we can make it for you. We hope also that this may be the beginning of the acceptance of many young people from many other schools as well. So we shall see how we progress in time, won't we?" He winked at her.  
  
Great, she thought, nodding to him, If I screw this one up, I'll screw it up for others too, Sacre! She cringed inwardly.  
  
"Now if you follow me, I'll show you up to my office where we'll sort you and you can meet the other Heads of the Houses. You've already met Professor Snape." He said, standing up and walking for the door.  
  
"Nice guy." She said drolly.  
  
"Yes, he is. I've known him for many years now. A better Potions Master is not to be found in all of Europe." Dumbledore spoke warmly of the jerk. "You've yet to meet Headmistress McGonagall, she's just as fascinating. She teaches Transfiguration." George felt a bit silly as he misinterpreted her comment, but, ah, heck. No harm done, she thought as they marched upstairs together.  
  
  
  
A few hours later she was settled into her own room in the very bowels of the castle. As she was older (and technically a full-fledged wizard, as she had graduated), she'd turned 21 last May. Dumbledore believed it wouldn't be fair to the younger students to have to live with an adult, but she really though he was trying to make sure she got some privacy. Also to maybe keep her from feeling humiliated having to live with students who might be quite a bit younger. So she got her own room. Thank you Dumbledore, she thought to herself, with a smile. It was tiny, and dark, and the stone walls were freezing. But nothing she couldn't fix up to be fun.  
  
George had argued up in that office with the sorting hat when it wanted to place her in Slytherin as the only person she'd met from there was that Professor, but it reasoned with her telling her it knew what was best for her. "Fat chance, you tattered know-it-all…." She had muttered only to be drowned out by the deafening --SLYTHERIN! Geesh, there's what-- Six people in the room? They could probably hear that all the way back in Poland. She hated being told what to do. Now she felt kinda grumpy.   
  
After that, they had gotten to know more about her background and some basics of her year with them. She was to only attend certain classes, as some she would excel in them beyond what the Professors would be able to teacher her, while in others, she was very far behind. Everyone in the office knew that was owing to the philosophy behind The Institute, and not to any fault of hers, yet she had chosen to go there.  
  
Everyone except the sour Snape stayed around to introduce themselves and chat for a few minutes, and she was really beginning to feel the effort they were putting into making her feel welcome here.  
  
They worked out her living arrangements--she would get complete free-range of the library--but she was to adhere to the rest of the schools rules just as the other students must. When the meeting was done she'd also worked out a schedule to be informally tested be each professor and to do a little bit of catching up if need be, over the next two weeks.   
  
They should have had me come in a month early, she complained to the dark walls of her room.  
  
Her room was by way of a private study that was really more of a lounge, the first door on the left off of the Slytherin Common Room. The private study she shared with Professor Snape AKA Grumpy-Attitude Stick-Boy as she had dubbed him, and another empty set of unused quarters snaked off into the stone. There were, initially supposed to be three teachers living down here in the dungeons sharing this common study room, but no one wanted to be near Snape or the Dungeons or the Slytherins--George couldn't tell which, so that left these open for her.  
  
After getting settled--she'd brought mostly books and 'toys' as she called them--she sat on her four-poster bed musing to herself. What a freakin day! Crazy. She'd gone from her light and airy modern school with it's modern buildings, dress-code and ideas, to this! It's almost medieval. Dungeons and castles and…what the heck kinda bed is a four-poster bed?! "Tie me to the bed posts!" George actually sang that lyric from one of her favorite Muggle songs out-loud, laughing at herself afterwards.  
  
It's all like a fairy-tale or something, except she didn't feel like a fairy-tale princess, she snorted at the idea. George, or Georgie as her friends called her and she refered to herself, was tall and solid--not at all the dainty, swooning fair type. Her background was some sort of Islander so she was dark, with a large mischievous smile, and dark eyes that hid under her dark brow. She was also the color of light mocha…so she was used to standing out already in a crowd and getting the, 'what are you?' double take. But she didn't care.  
  
  
Georgie loved being outdoors and hiking about. She was also still rumored to climb trees which at the age of 21, would have been totally looked down on had it been true. Which of course it was. Also she often swore like a Muggle-sailor, which was pretty bad. Nope, no skirts, no golden locks, none of that crap. She was a realist, and logic and history told her that most of the stories were just wishful thinking.  
But on seeing this place called Hogwarts, she's almost believed otherwise.  
  
  
So here she was on her first night, ho-dee-hum, everything done, dinner's been eaten…. What to do? She poked her head out into the Lounge, making sure it was empty. Sure enough. She hopped on over to her bookshelf against her wall and grabbed a book of Garfield comics. Heh heh heh, she smiled devilishly to herself, nothing like Garfield.   
  
She opened the door and ran out with a squeal as she slammed her door unnecessarily behind her. She skidded around a corner to the back of a very warn, green fabric couch and flipped herself over the back of it and on the cushions. Ah, just like home, she thought to herself, Socks on my feet and Garfield in my hand. She began to read…  
  
Severus Snape's ears were assaulted by the snorts and raucous laughter of his new neighbor. He groaned and hoped--prayed--that she'd go away, disappear, and that this wasn't typical behavior for her. It wasn't that he had anything to do, but it was just the fact that if he had, he wouldn't be able to do it. And she was in shared area, which meant, quiet area. At least it had when he had it all to himself.  
  
He didn't know what to say when a few days earlier Dumbledore had approached him laying this out as a possible scenario. He'd argued with the man for half an hour, but to no avail. Snape had just hoped she'd get sorted into another house. No such luck. What had really irked him was when Dumbledore had said, "Severus, who know, a new neighbor will be good for you-open up the windows and let a little breeze blow through that old place. A young person and a new face could do you good."  
  
But he didn't need the breeze blowing through, upsetting his papers and turning over his old books. He didn't need another person infringing on his space, his quarters. Damnit! And his eardrums right now. He pushed his chair out and stood up away from his desk, leering at the door it was coming from  
  
"HA! That Odie, he's so cool. It's like he likes to be pushed off……"  
  
"MISS….Flaing." Georgie whipped her head around to see tall, pale, and pale and unpleasant himself entered the other side of the room. When he just stood there, she furled her brow and prompted, "What?!"  
  
"Must you be so loud? Isn't it enough to enjoy your literature without forcing it's effects on those around you."  
  
"Sorry…well, honestly, I'm not all that sorry, but I reckon in the name of neighborly-ness and all I'd have to say something. I just laugh a lot, and laughing loud's the best--dontcha love this stuff?" Indicating the comic. She smiled and sighed nervously.  
  
Professor Snape's face contorted and it looked like he was having a difficult time keeping his emotions in check. He walked around until he was directly in her line of view, but he didn't sit down.  
  
"Aren't you supposed to be extraordinarily smart?" He said focusing in on the colorful book in her hand. "You're reading a child's book. That wouldn't seem to offer you anything close to a challenge." He smiled sarcastically.  
  
"I dunno. Smart? Yeah, tests say so, but what do tests know about people. I'm an idiot savant--emphasis on the idiot part. But being smart really isn't such a big deal, other thing's matter more in life of course." She knew she was baiting him into a conversation--probably an argument, but what the hell, might be fun.  
  
"Spoken like a real student of The Institute," he sneered at her. "Thank you," she immediately countered.  
  
"Come now, oh learned and informed child," he practically spat out. "What could be more important than knowledge? With knowledge comes power, as the saying goes…"  
  
"The best thing knowledge brings you are opportunities: the opportunity to see what the world holds for you and opportunity to make informed choices. Knowledge for knowledge sake is stupid." Georgie practically spat out the last word as if hurling it right at him. "As for power," She was eyeing him now and smirking. "Power is the most destructive and dehumanizing objective for those around you I can think of, because to have power you must have it over someone else. When people aim for attaining various degrees of wealth, love, or fame-these rarely infringe on the surrounding people and their comfort or feelings. Power-seeking bastards are in it for the control-and that directly hurts. And no one has the right to do that to another human being, damnit, no one."  
  
"When I was eight years old I had a tyrant for a teacher-I'll never forget him. He used to bellow and rant and rave about everything we did wrong, he was always right of course," she smiled to herself at this recollection sadly. "He used to terrorize one child in particular-she used to go home and cry every night. But the thing of it is, that he probably was feeling so incredibly shitty about himself," Professor Snape's eyes were glittering with fury now, either from her language or her rant in it's entirety, "That he had to take it out on kids. What a pathetic and low man…." She dropped off. Then looking up, "Oh, but that was a little much wasn't it. I can get a tad bit carried away, up on my soapbox and all….Is there a reason you're still standing? Sit down already-there's nothing the matter with these couches." She winked at him.  
  
He scowled and marched away to the furthest couch from her--which was only perhaps six or seven feet away anyway. He hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of pure junk falling from this girl's mouth--he was speechless. He was also feeling very putout as this was how he'd be spending the rest his evenings for the rest of this long school year.  
  
Georgie smiled to herself and went back to her comics, thinking he's not so bad…. Well, yes he probably is, he's just too shocked to scream at me.  
  
Georgie called up from her book, barely looking up, "So Professor, where you from?"  
  
He slowly turned his head and stared at her wit a face totally unreadable and devoid of expression. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"Simple enough question, didn't mean to stump you over it. Just trying to get to know you, no ulterior motives if that's what you think. No, actually I just wanted stalk your family home, so of course I'd need to know where it was." She laughed at herself and rolled her eyes. "Geesh, a reason? Duh."  
  
"My parents are Welsh, I was born in London. I live here. Is that good enough for you?"  
  
"We weren't going for what was good enough for me, 'cause if we were, your name wouldn't have been brought up in the conversation." She smiled, feeling back in her element again.  
  
"Ms. Flaing, this is really very-"   
  
"Okay, it's your turn to ask a question." She interrupted, throwing her book down beside her and feeling playful.   
  
"I have no desire-"  
  
"You have to, It's the quickest way to get to know your neighbor. Come on, you've been dying to ask something!"  
  
"This is ridiculous. And I don't HAVE to do anything." But she persisted on, annoyingly. He considered for a moment, then gave in. "Oh, fine, but only because I have nothing better to do." And she'd probably annoy me with something else. He thought quickly to some neutral question--he would've asked after the weather if he thought it'd get her to shut up. Finally he settled with, "Where is your family from?"  
  
"I am from Polynesia. My father's family is from England, My mother's family is from Canada. I was born in the US-and am thus a citizen of that place, but I've lived the last few years of my life in Poland. There, that wasn't so bad was it?" She coddled. Then she burped. And smiled sweetly afterwards, "'Scuse me! Wakka-wakka-wakka!"  
  
"That was disgusting." He hastily stood up, as Georgie nodded in agreement. "I have no further desire to get to know you tonight, Miss. If you will excuse me…."  
  
"You're excused. Now goodnight, sleep tight-don't let your big toes fight!" She virtually yelled after him as he breezed out of the room.   
  
  
  
Now alone with his thoughts, Severus Snape welcomed the near-silence emanating from the lounge. He sat at his stark desk, head in his hands with his fingers massaging is temples. He didn't know what exactly to make of his new neighbor. She was vaguely interesting, supposedly intelligent, but horrifically annoying and childish. He couldn't see where this relationship was heading: either to tolerance or a full out hatred. Though he did know for certain that as of this moment he didn't hate her. She hadn't given him a reason for it….yet. But the school term hadn't even started yet, he mused as a tight smile began to form about the corners of his lips. I'll be watching and waiting for her to screw up, he thought sardonically, and then….I'll nail her to the wall.  
  
  
  
A/N--Hullo, pleae R/R. Let me know what you think. Cheers, Virgil 


	2. Chapter Two First Day Testing

  
Chapter Two-First Day Testing  
  
  
Georgie tapped her toes on the end of the couch as she spread herself fully out and nestled against the back of the couch. Darn, she though ruefully on glancing at her watch. It was only nine. Too early to hit the sack just yet, so what to do? Georgie's mom had always pointed out that she kept the hours of a Vampire, rather than those that should belong to a little girl. If that's true my night's just beginning. I think I'll get out and take a look around a bit…  
  
She ran back into her room slipped her sneakers on without untying them, grabbed a cloak and her broomstick, muttering to herself, "Never know what I'll get into…"  
  
Exiting the mammoth stone building by way of a side door, she stood a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the light. There was a dull yellow-ish sliver of a moon starting to peep out over the forbidden forest-not much help to light her way tonight. But she noted with some satisfaction that the evening was still quite mild, and only a light breeze messed with her short, curl, split-ended hair.   
  
Glancing left then right, she walked carefully down a short set of steps and ambled down to the lake. She set her broomstick down and plopped herself down on the shore. Picking up a good sized rock she hurled it as far as she could out into the inky waters. A hollow-sounding thwump came back to her, and she chose another that she felt would be more aerodynamically suited to out-distance the first. Which it subsequently did.  
  
However her ears pricked up as she heard someone making there way to where she was seated. She turned and squinted into the darkness to see a quite large figure plodding straight for her slowly, and as he approached she realized he was a very large and tall man--much bigger than the average.  
  
"Hullo!" He thundered as he approached her, so she leapt to her feet. "I'd been told about you and I reckon'd that might be you sitting out here all by yourself. Ya see I could see you clear as day from my window over there…." He gestured towards a small cabin-looking building with bright lights shinning in the two visible windows.  
  
He held out his hand to her and she shook hands with him, barely noticing that his hands were almost three times as large. "Reubus Hagrid." He pronounced for her, "But you can just call me Hagrid. Most ev'ryone else does. Fine by me." He scrutinized her and nodding said, "So your name is George." It wasn't really a question, but she nodded anyway. "You can call me Georgie. I've found that that makes the name more feminine--not that I try to be feminine, it's just it helps to avoid confusion." She explained hurriedly. She thought he had a nice and jolly demeanor and she liked his uncomplicated way of talking.  
  
"So, Hagrid are you a Professor?" She blurted out as she sat back down and he promptly followed suit.  
  
"Yep. I teach Care of Magical Creatures. It's a heap of fun--trust me. As much fun to teach as it is fer the students as well, I'd venture."  
  
"Excellent! I'm going to be in your class. I've never had this course as they didn't offer it at The Institute in Poland--that where I'm from. But," she lowered her voice," I have had a few interesting pets over the years…" She hinted slyly.  
  
"Really? We might have a lot in common, you an' I. I once owned a dragon, ya know." He said with a wink.  
  
"No way!? But they're illegal! Wow you've gotta tell me about this one!" So Hagrid proceeded to tell her about his short ownership of Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. Georgie was shaking her head at the end of the tale, muttering, "So not fair…."  
  
Sighing and looking out over the lake she changed subjects, "Hagrid, you must be the luckiest guy. Really. You have a kick-ass job," he colored at her choice of words, but she kept on. "You live at this amazing place, where crazy and exciting stuff's always happening--I envy you, truly."  
  
"Yeah, the professors have really made me feel at home-like I'm one of 'em, you know? Dumbledore is the best of men--took me in when I didna have no where to go. They're all really great: smart, good an' fair--the whole lot of 'em." He said seriously, but turned and regarded her when she snorted at his last statement. "What was that for?"  
  
"I'm sorry, that was pretty darn rude. It's only, well, um how to say this," she said looking to the lake's water for inspiration." Okily, well, one of my favorite, urm, pastimes is to study other people's characters. I like to try to figure out what makes people the way they are, why they think as they do-just try and imagine how I would be and think if I were them. It's come to be very useful, and after so many years of perfecting this art, I'm usually right on correct. I'm not saying all first impressions are right, it's just, with some people you can just tell-if you're looking for something….  
  
"Blimey, you're sounding like Trewlaney right now. You're not talkin' 'bout Divination and all that, are you? He questioned.  
  
"Nah, It's more of science, though by no means an exact one. Hell, I've been wrong lots times before…Argh, this is coming out wrong. I'm just trying to say I'm good with intuition and understanding characters and motives. More like psychology, you know…" She hoped he understood.  
  
"Not really, but I'll trust ya on that one." He smiled.  
  
"Thanks," she mumbled gratefully. "Okay, I've met the House Heads and they seem very intelligent and friendly people, it's just, well, I'm living with Professor Snape down in the dungeons, and I just can't see anything good coming from such a situation. I think he already hates me. I mean, I hope this foresight's wrong-wouldn't it be a blast to see us getting along perfectly in a few months and having raging pillow fights down there?!" Hagrid laughed at this." But I think he's going to be difficult to get along with…." She looked down at her hands in her lap frowning.  
  
"Don't give up on 'im yet. He's not used to sharing… well anything really." He coughed. "Yeah, he's got his nasty moods, and I shore as hell wouldn't want to be on the receiving end when he's all up in a bad temper. Takes a lotta pride in watchin' out fer those Slytherins though. The man's a ruddy genius with potions, and no matter what you hear--he's a good guy. He just doesn't like to show it, so no more of this worryin'. We can't be all judgmental and all that before even the firs' day's out!" Hagrid said patting her strongly on the shoulder.  
  
"Hagrid, how'd you get to be so wise?" Georgie laughed at him.  
  
"Aww." He growled at her, but grinned widely still. "So what classes are you going to be takin'?" He asked, changing away from all that soft nonsense.  
  
"Dunno. I'm meeting with most of the Professors this week to see what I need to take and what I've already got covered. I've learned Potions and Transfiguration extensively, Also a bunch of Herbology and Defense against the Dark Arts-though I've been told the classes are taught differently here, so who knows what Ill end up taking. At The Institute, we focused on Astronomy and Natural Sciences much more than they do here. I'm good with my wand, but I'm better with my brain…." She broke off.  
  
  
"You'll do fine girl, no matter what ya take. This place won't try and kill ya, promise. Just try and relax, make friends and have a good time, alright."  
  
"Easy for you to say. I'm at least 4 years older than the oldest students here. And just watch I'll get put in with a first year Arithmancy class and I'll feel like such a huge idiot." She felt like being ninny. It was the first time in a long time to actually have someone listen to her, and here she was boring him with her problems.  
  
"I don't think they have first year Arithmancy…" Hagrid smiled, trying to ease her mind.  
  
"Yeah, but they'll probably have to make one up just for me…." She countered.   
  
Suddenly she leapt to her feet and snatched up her broomstick, looking into the darkness of the Forbidden Forest. "I'm kinda hungry." She muttered lamely. She offered her hand to Hagrid to help him up but he almost took her down in the process. Laughing, he answered, "Well you've got a coupla options now. I've got some tea and cakes in my cabin, plus there's bound to be sumthin' over in Hogsmeade….then there's the Hogwarts kitchens…." His eyes twinkled mischievously…  
  
"Oh, so definitely the kitchens! Munchies, munchies, munchies!" She jumped up and down in a circle for emphasis.  
  
"Thought you'd choose that!" He started up the slight incline for the castle.  
  
"Say, you think they have Diet Coke in there? I'm addicted…" She said melodramatically…  
  
"Dunno. We'll ask the house-elves when we get there."  
  
"Hagrid, you're pretty damn cool. I think I'll keep you around, okay?" She smiled at him, then stuck out her tongue. He smiled back and stuck out his tongue back at her, wagging his head at the silliness they were up to.  
  
  
  
Almost an hour later she had parted from Hagrid outside the kitchens, in very high spirits, after having laughed, and joked, and preformed an improvised song-and-dance routine using the house-elves as the test-audience. They had applauded, but Georgie knew it was out of duty or something, not for their obvious lack of talent. But, it was fun. It's gonna suck around here when everyone will be buried in their books, she thought sadly, readjusting her hold in the bag by her side. Inside were to Georgie's delight some 'Diet coke for the road', a pint of ice cream, some wizard candy, a hunk of gingerbread, cheese and crackers, and lastly --Cheetos.   
  
Georgie was already a bit on the chubby side, but she was still very athletic and healthy, and she figured, hell, if she liked it--why not eat it?! At least her face didn't break out all the time over the stuff, she reflected, truly grateful.   
  
She could now find her way between the great hall, the kitchens and the dungeons with some certainty. She came to the wall with the secret entrance and she spoke: "Serpent stare." And bustled inside quickly with her bag still clutched in her hand. It was now almost eleven, and her neighbor was nowhere to be seen.   
  
She swept in to the lounge and threw open her door, tossed her cloak and the broomstick she'd dragged around with her up against the wardrobe and took her stash and collapsed with it on her couch. It was her couch now, she was laying claim to it, and Snape could just eat Donkey Shorts. She set up her contraband bag on the central coffee table and dug the spoon out from the bottom of the bag. Umm, this was going to be heaven. A chocolate fudge ice cream heaven.  
  
Slowly the door to Snape's room opened and the owner himself strode purposeful out in to the room and directly into her line of sight. Crap, she thought, I wasn't making that much noise at all.  
  
"How are you tonight?" She asked trying to sound disinterested and indifferent as she played with her spoon.  
  
"Fine." He replied, he face showing no emotions. "Having a pleasant evening?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, just…peachy." She drawled, eyeing him suspiciously. She couldn't remember what exactly they'd said when they last saw each other, but she knew it would have to be at odds with the false appearance of friendliness happening in the room right now. She hated not acting like herself though.  
  
"Did you move all of your things in alright?" Huh, she thought.  
  
"Yes, perfectly. Thank you for asking." Inside she was almost cracking up. Such politeness, HA! And coming from her, move over Hollywood.  
  
She squinted at him and waited for him to do or say something. When he didn't, she motioned at the other couch and burbled, "Uh, you wanna sit down or something?" Now what. He was sitting and not making any effort to talk. She just shrugged her shoulders and turned away from him.  
  
"How advanced are you at Potions?" He abruptly asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. I'd venture to say I'm quite good, it was probably my second best class. I've been making potions with ease for years that here in England are deemed illegal and dangerous. But I'm not perfect of course, no one is…" She muttered under her breath, but he didn't seem to take any notice.  
  
"Still, some of my basic skills are often found to be lacking, and some of my knowledge didn't transfer over into English. For instance, I could make 'Modra Skelica' perfectly: get all the ingredients and the proportions correct, but I don't know what that potion is called in English, so explaining what I just did makes no sense. Same thing goes for the ingredients as well. My education has taken place in perhaps 4 different languages. Now I want all the knowledge and understanding to become complete in English, as I'm choosing to remain here." She shrugged her shoulders once more.  
  
Turning down to her bag once more, she suddenly yelped, "Shit!" And Snape's eyes flew open and he barked, "What? What is it?"  
  
Looking him straight in the face, she regarded him and then chuckled and hooted to herself. He appeared to loathe this action and glared daggers at her, his eyes flashing dangerously.  
  
"Sorry, didn't mean to freak you out. My ice cream's melting--forgot all about it…." His shoulders relaxed and he sat back gruffly.  
  
Georgie tried to check her laughter, but the situation was funny. "Here." She said as she stood up to thrust the spoon into his hand. She found the container and pulled the lid off and set it down in front of Snape, who twisted up his face at her, clearly displeased.  
  
"Oh, get off it." She rolled her eyes at him and giggled, helping herself to the gingerbread. "It's a midnight snack-y party." When he still hadn't dug in, she teased, "Do I have to spoon feed you? Geesh, it's not poisoned, it's actually quite delicious. Come on, everyone loves ice cream-'specially chocolate. Ya caught me in a generous mood, now if you don't help me with this, it'll melt, I'll get pissed off and I'll hex you. Understand?" She almost growled, to make it sound like she really meant it.   
  
  
He looked down and snatched up the ice cream from down in front of him and murmured, "Fine."  
  
Inwardly sighing, she figured that'd have to be good enough. Miracles don't happen overnight. She would make him her first project.  
  
Georgie dumped out the contents on the coffee table, and noting his scowl replied, "Don't worry, I'm gonna clean it up." Shaking her head, whatta jerk.  
  
"Wasn't thinking that." He spoke lowly. Then he began to eat the ice cream.  
  
Deciding not pursue, she munched on the gingerbread and fished out a drink. "Want one?" She inquired, holding up a Coke and a Diet. He cocked his head to the side and said, "I usually drink tea."  
  
"Good for you," she couldn't help saying. "But I don't have tea, and I personally think that you need junk drinks to accompany junk food." She hurriedly continued. "If you want tea, you can make some in a few seconds ya know…But if you want this, hell anything, you're welcome to it. Okily dokily?" She plopped the drinks down in front of him  
  
"Okily dokily." He repeated sarcastically, as if laughing at her. Ah, screw him. But she watched as he picked up a coke anyway. Shoulda poisoned it, just for fun.  
  
She attacked the snacks with a relish she reserved only for food. Heh heh heh, Cheetos. She munched for a few minutes, feeling the awkward silence, but thought if he wanted to talk he's gotta start it. Her fingers were getting tinted sorta orange-y from the excess processed cheese on the crunchy puffs, God bless the Muggles who came up with this stuff! She set down the bag and concentrated for a second on her outstretched empty palm, and suddenly made a napkin appear in it.  
  
Snape spoke up, "You didn't use your wand." He must've been watching. "Nope, I didn't." She replied nonchalantly without looking at him, but proceeded to wipe off her fingers. Really, that hadn't been that difficult a piece of magic. Though maybe in these parts it was.  
  
He scrutinized her slowly while still working on the ice cream, what the hell was he thinking? She took a long drink of her Coke and let out an earth-shaking, rumble-y burp. Smiling innocently, she said, "Wasn't me."  
  
"Now you're becoming disgusting," he frowned at her. "Wrong." Georgie countered, frowning right back at him defiantly. "I am just as I was two minutes ago. I'm just giving you more insight into my person. Whether I was disgusting then or not is entirely up to your judgement…"  
  
"Do you always go off on these tangents of yours? Can't your answer for once be a simple one?"  
  
"Nah, I've got a lot to say." She winked at him, and turned back to the food--this time the cheese and crackers.  
  
"How old are you?" He interjected without warning. Whatever she might have expected him to say or do, this question was not it. Her surprise was great indeed and she didn't even try to disguise it.  
  
"You know, and don't take this the wrong way--though you probably will anyway, but you sounded almost human asking that. Like for once you asked a question that you didn't already know the answer to. Like you were actually trying to make an effort to try to be social, or neighborly, or something…."  
  
He sneered, "How old are you?" He repeated strongly.  
  
"Ohmigosh! He's trying to connect with his fellow human beings! Ring the bells, sound the horns, alert the media--"  
  
"George!" he bellowed to cut her off, and they were both silent. Him giving her a sharp look, and her smirking humorously at him. "Call me Georgie."  
  
"Isn't it considered rude to ask a lady her age?" She ventured.  
  
"I did not take you for a lady." He snapped.  
  
"Ow, that hurt. You're a mean one Mr. Snape." She tried to sound scathing, but her eyes gave her away as they were crinkled up in laughter. "Well, so long as you don't see me as a lady and I don't see you as a gentleman, we can continue seeing eye-to-eye and engage in our snacking wickedness in peace."  
  
Snape's mouth frowned slightly at her calling him not a gentleman, but he really didn't care what this freak of nature thought. He set down the ice cream and took up the cheese and crackers Georgie had abandoned a few minutes ago.  
  
"YES!" She hollered as she leapt on the container relinquished by the Professor. "Yummers, chocolate." She pronounced with a sigh.  
  
"You appear to be almost wild," he commented with dissatisfaction. "You know, if you'd wanted the ice cream you could have asked for it."  
  
"Nah, couldn't have done that. Don't get me wrong--I absolutely lurve the stuff," and she batted her eyelashes as best she could. "I love all of, too. But if I didn't get any, no big loss, it's not something to make a fuss over. It's just fun to get worked up over the small stuff. That way you have more opportunities to have little joys in your everyday life, ya know?" She asked then felt dumb asking. Nah, he probably didn't know.  
  
He was gracious enough though, and shrugged his shoulders, muttering, "To each their own."  
  
"How old are you?" She asked slyly, eyeing him from out of the corner of her eye.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Only fair…"  
  
"But you didn't answer my question." He pointed out.  
  
"Well it was a rude one." She felt dumb saying it.  
  
"And it's not rude when you're asking it now because..?" He drew out the last word for a long time as if expecting her to jump in with her reply.  
  
"Well, I was going to say it was because you don't ask ladies their age. But as we've already discredited me enough tonight so as to say that I am no lady, I will go on the argument that you have me at a disadvantage already, and I wouldn't want to add to it."  
  
She had piqued his interest apparently, because he immediately asked, "What advantage?"  
  
She grinned smartly, "You know my name." Oh course she knew his name--well his last name, Hagrid and Dumbledore had told her, but he had missed the staff introductions and had dodged the question when she had first arrived. Still Georgie prided herself on always telling the truth, and this was just a simple case of not mentioning all the details. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.  
  
She took a swig of her coke, while he appeared to be mulling something over in his mind. Then he sighed as if resigning something, "Fair enough." He almost smiled. "My name is Severus Snape."  
  
"Pleased to meet you Severus," and she solemnly grabbed up his hand and shook it profusely.   
  
"You're not to call me Severus in front of the students" he insisted sternly and dropped her hand.  
  
"Of course, but you're not to call me Georgie in front of the students either."  
  
"OH?" His eyebrows raised in question. "What, exactly am I to call you then?"  
  
She was sure he was thinking she was going to say George or something to that tune, so she caught him off guard when she replied, "Sugar lips."  
  
His eyes flew open and his face contorted and he looked like he was trying very, very hard not to indulge her with a laugh.  
  
"I was thinking, "she continued on, grinning like an idiot, "of honey buns, but that'd be extremely inappropriate and therefore totally out of the question."  
  
"Yes," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Totally out of the question."  
  
Here Georgie finally allowed herself the indulgence of a loud guffaw followed by hysterical snorting as Snape looked on.  
  
"You're an odd child," he virtually spat out when she had calmed down again, back to his old stern self again.  
  
"Yeah, well you're not too normal yourself. And don't ever call me a child again." He'd gotten her back up.  
  
"That sounded like a threat."  
  
"I don't make threats." She replied through clenched teeth.  
  
"You are hard to predict," he mused holding his hands clasped together up to his huge nose. "One minute she's all fun and games and the next she's seething. Whatever could have brought about such a change?"  
  
"This place needs a television," she tried to change the topic.  
  
"And now, she conveniently changes the subject when the conversation heads dangerously into her own direction."  
  
She sighed, "Oh shut up, will you."  
  
He still sat there looking very pleased with himself, as if he knew something that no one else knew.  
  
She busied herself with the gingerbread again, trying not to think that she really hated the direction the conversation started to take.   
  
"So,…" She looked up to see what he could possibly want. "How old are you?"  
  
Georgie couldn't help but smile a little. "Persistent bastard aren't we? You first." She liked having it her way.  
  
"I am 35 years old come this February."  
  
"Okay, I am 21."  
  
"See, that wasn't that painful was it?" He goaded.   
  
"Yeah, I'm hemorrhaging over it…" She snapped back.  
  
"Anything else you want to ask that might take half an hour to answer?" He scowled.  
  
"Not tonight, we can save the really big life and death questions for another night."  
  
"Lovely, I look forward to the complete waste of time with pleasure."  
  
"Drop dead." She said bitingly.  
  
"If you wish it." He bowed his head at her.  
  
"Nah, by the looks of you, you're half-way there already." She tried to sound impertinent, but his answer had kinda freaked her out.  
  
"You know," she went on, "I can't figure you out either…."  
  
"Good, if my character and being were so transparent so as you could know everything about me in one evening, I'd be a sorry person indeed."  
  
"Whatever, ya sick bastard….." She winked at him, but she got his drift. "You don't seem like quite the ignorant asshole I thought you were at first."  
  
Snape wondered at where she could possibly be taking that statement. "I assure you that I can be very, very cruel, heartless, cunning and cold. But I though it'd be best not to scare you all the way back home your very first night."  
  
"I think we both can recognize the potential we both possess to be able act a certain way to attain our goal. We are both Slytherins, are we not? I think much of this was shown on both sides here tonight." He stood up. "The only true question that remains is of all of the many faces we wore, which will be the true ones, which will be the one we wear most, and what are we to do with such a knowledge once it comes to light?"  
  
She stared him straight in the eye, remaining devoid of all telling emotion.  
  
Walking around the room, he paused at door and he said, "I choose to do nothing because I do not care, but I figured you might like that--having studied so much philosophy and psychology and other social sciences which you will find are entirely useless in the Wizarding World. As they say, stick that in your pipe and smoke it."  
  
He turned his back on her and opened his door. Interesting end to a conversation, she mused. Then so quiet she was almost whispering, she breathed, "I underestimate you."  
  
He spoke softly back without turning around, "Most people do." And he continued on into his room.  
  
Okay, Georgie thought as she stared into the fireplace burning in the opposite wall.. Snap outta this. That was too weird. And way too intense a conversation. Next time, light-heartedness, jokes, and flowers were all she would allow herself to speak of. She suddenly burped, and thought, nah…..taking all that back.  
  
Surprising guy, maybe this wasn't going to be such a hellacious living arrangement after all. But as a human being, man he kinda sucks. He's kinda freaky. Like one of those Goths that look like they're wearing their Halloween costumes year-round. Except with Snape it was his complexion, his figure, his skin--he couldn't just change out of it as if he felt like wearing neon pink to celebrate the summer.   
  
Something dangerously close to pity started to seep into her mind, and she shook it out just as fast as it had come in.  
  
Standing up, she dumped the empty ice cream container out in the wastebasket and cleaned up her things, piling what was salvageable for another day.   
  
She hated going to bed so early--it was only half past midnight, so she brought out a medium-sized stack of books and pounced back on her couch. She had everything from Jane Austen to essays on current quantum theories. So she set in on something heavy that would keep her mind occupied until she were really tired…  
  
  
  
Snape was also reading, but far different material. Potion making was like an infectious fever with him, it took hold of him, controlled him, ate away at his very core. It was what he was good at, but beyond that he was still fascinated with it after all these years. It was no mere hobby--it was his life.  
  
He'd been sitting there for several hours, when he began to feel restless. Usually during the school term he could wander the halls making rounds, looking for students out of bed, but there were not students here yet. He grimaced at that slip. Well, he thought, old habits are hard to kill. Much like me, he thought unsmiling. He heaved himself up and out of his room.  
  
He stopped dead in tracks when he heard a faint noise streaming steadily from the couch in that dark lounge room. He took a few steps forward and realized it was the girl. She was fast asleep and snoring quietly. He smirked at her, then frowned. She really shouldn't sleep out there--it would just not be very proper. Not that he cared a bit, but she might be alarmed when she woke up. Looking around the room and trying to think quickly he came to the conclusion that he had two options. He could cover her with a blanket of sorts and let her stay there, or try and move her. No, he figured, having to cover would be too… His mind reeled away from him--intimate, friendly, comforting, close, interested, attached. He snorted to himself at the idea, as he had no desire to come across as a comforting angel or a bottled-up sweetheart.   
  
So he did what he had to do. He removed the book from her hand and slid his cold hands under her elbow. She remained asleep throughout the entire operation, and he was thankful, as it might be awkward if she were to suddenly wake up. He lifted her up slowly and directed her to her room, letting her go at the doorway. There was no need to go in. He saw that she had found her bed and so the task was done.  
  
Walking out to the awaiting school corridors he found he could breathe a little easier, as he expected that she wouldn't have any recollection of him moving her. And as luck for Snape would have it, she didn't remember.  
  
  
  
Georgie awoke to her alarm clock and groaned out loud. Where the hell did all the hours go? Wasn't she supposed to feel rested? Damn. Crawling out of bed she went to the mirror, was disgusted by the rat's nest that her hair reminded her of. She grabbed a rubber band and raked back the fly-aways. Good enough, she grunted. She'd shower during the long lunch break. She was to spend the morning with Professor Flitwick going over charms. Cake, she thought and smiled to herself. Her afternoon with McGonagall might be something of a challenge, though not an unwelcome one.  
  
She threw on a pair of Khaki pants, buttoned up her shirt, grabbing her wand and her robes, lifted her shoes up and stalked out into the lounge. Snape was sitting there reading a Wizarding newspaper. He looked up as she came and sat down on the other couch-her couch, she thought protectively-and began to put on her shoes.  
  
"What? No notes? No books to cram with for your tests?" He prodded.  
  
"It's all up here," she pointed to her head without moving from her doubled-over position over her feet. Finally she sat up, shaking out her head and neck.  
  
"What?" She asked of his lingering stare.  
  
"Not a morning person?"  
  
"Fuck you…." She mumbled and got unsteadily to her feet.  
  
He smiled his thin-lipped malicious smile of his, and returned to his paper.   
  
So she asked, "So Snape, you're not married are you?"  
  
"No. Why do you ask?" Turning his eyes on her once again.  
  
"Because having to wake up to you would be an utter hell." She flashed her eyes at him, snatched up her robes and darted out the door for breakfast.  
  
Snape returned once more to his paper and sat thoughtfully for a moment, before allowing himself to chuckle at the absurdity if it all.  
  
  
  
Up in the Great Hall, Georgie was yawning and chatting with the professors as they all say around the high table. Mmm, there was nothing like yummy food to get her going in the morning. Well, Diet Coke worked when food was lacking, but nothing compared to the crisp bacon she twirled in her hand at this moment.   
  
All of the professors were excellent company-Hagrid hadn't been lying. Professor Flitwick kept doling out cheesy anecdote after anecdote. McGonagall seemed very matronly as she just sat there and smiled, nodding every so often, listening and mediating if need be.   
  
The majority of the conversation consisted of stories from when they were themselves students at Hogwarts, mainly for the benefit of Georgie. It was a pleasant way to pass time, and she enjoyed jumping in asking questions and interacting with the bunch of them. Hagrid sat by her side and whispered clarifying bits of information to round off the stories been told. Ah, Hagrid was the best.  
  
  
When whom should fly in like some classic vampire ruining the jovial banter, but good ol' Snape. The sullen man glared up at the table as he made his way around to his seat. "Good morning, dear." He growled sarcastically under his breath as he passed her.  
  
"Die." She growled back as he stiffly sat down, still shooting daggers out of his black eyes. He's a cold one.   
  
He didn't join in the conversation, but Georgie took this to be the daily routine as she saw that no one take any notice of him or his attitude. So she kept up the banter and raucous laughter until Flitwick glanced at his watch and suggested they head on up to his classroom to get the day underway.  
  
Bummer, she thought. As she lifted herself up, Hagrid and Professor Sprout protested loudly to him taking away their new society. Georgie turned at the door after following Flitwick out and bowing to them, called out, "Yes, I know everyone wants me, but none of you can have me, so too bad for all of you!" And with that she stuck out her tongue and disappeared around the corner.  
  
Snape was getting annoyed at her childish showiness. Couldn't she just act normal, he pondered as he drank his tea.  
  
  
  
Georgie had a great time with Flitwick. As she suspected, she knew as much as he did about the subject, but she was being modest in demonstrating her skills. He was very clever and kept coming up with strange puzzles where should have to come up with a Charm solution to it. It was actually a lot of fun, since she hardly ever got a chance to stretch her wings in this area.   
  
After only an hour of this, they plopped down atop some desks and just chatted until lunchtime. Flitwick told her about the recent problems they'd been having retaining their Defense Against the Dark Arts instructors. He spoke in hushed tones about the treacherous goings-on and about how even You-Know-Who was very interested in certain unnamed individuals at the school. Duh--she didn't need to be an Auror to figure out who he was referring to.  
  
After a long chuckle about something Hagrid had recently done, Short Professor Flitwick hopped down off the desk and said, "Time for you to go." She thanked him profusely and they ambled side-by-side back to the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
"Ooo," She piped up as the approached the table. "Sandwiches! Goody, goody." Sitting next to Hagrid she sang, "Sandwiches for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, If I had a million I'd eat them all at once!" McGonagall chuckled and advised her to tuck in.  
  
  
The sun shone in through the tall windows, and the enchanted ceiling reminded her what a warm day it was. And running around in black robes performing any number of tasks certainly isn't going to keep you cool and comfortable, she reminded herself. She bit into an egg salad sandwich and looked down at it, darn this is good! She told herself to thank the house-elves next time she got a chance.  
  
Georgie's mind wandered to what she was going to do for the next 3 free hours before meeting with McGonagall. She enjoyed sitting and chatting immensely, but she figured she'd better do something by herself and for herself. Taking a shower was at the top of the list, she smiled introspectively.   
  
After the meal she got up, excused herself citing heaps of things to do before meeting with McGonagall, then promptly left. She was walking down the corridors slowly, smiling up at the paintings as she passed by each one. She was nearly to the dungeons when on passing a suit of armor she saw not only her own blurred reflection, but that of someone else. She spun around, wand in hand to discover-  
"Snape! Damnit, what the hell's the matter with you? Can't you make noise when you walk or something? Were you there the entire time?"  
  
He just smiled his simpering smile and let her follow him inside the entranceway. He went straight to his room with not a word spoken to her.  
  
"You can be such an ass sometimes!" She called after him as she went, getting a little tired of him in general. He replied "Go jump in the lake." She was hot and annoyed--not a good combination, she thought as she yanked off her robes. She just wanted to cool down, then that loser wouldn't get her goad up so easily. She scolded herself angrily.  
  
But that was short-lived as she got a great idea. She grabbed a towel and headed out once again, drawing Snape's attention as she bumbled by. Where was she going now? She was the most brazen, vulgar and uncouth person he thought he'd ever met. So what, he thought bitterly, rubbing his temples. It can't last.  
He'd make sure of that.  
  
  
  
  
She burst in through the lounge a bit later, completely soaking, dripping wet, hair plastered to her back. He regarded her as she passed by and she seemed to be in better spirits. "All right, " he called after her. "Who'd you kill?" Her head poked back around the corner of his doorway grinning. "Huh?"  
  
"You like the Kneazle who's been in the hen house. Why are you wet?"   
  
"But you told me to go jump….OH!" Her hand went up to her mouth in mock shock. "You mean you didn't really mean it?!" She feigned being hurt, her eyes wide with a glitter of amusement.  
  
"You mean you actually jumped in that filthy thing? That's disgusting. You're disgusting," He pointed his finger accusingly at her.   
  
She came in close and laughed right in his face. "Snape you are so boring." And she walked away.  
  
He was right about one thing, she wouldn't want to not shower after a swim around that lake, since it was probably filled with duck poo. And at that she shivered with an internal, Ew.  
  
She took a long shower then dawdled about her room until the appointed meeting time with McGonagall. She rushed up the stairs, and jumped down the corridors, almost jumping into McGonagall's arms as she awaited her at the entrance to the great hall.   
  
"Oh-Oh!" the older lady sputtered.  
  
"Oh my goodness! I'm awfully sorry. Wasn't looking where I was going, and I was in such a hurry to get here on time-"  
  
"No need." She broke in and smiled, holding up her hand. "I've been looking forward to this for days now. Let's get started, shall we?" She motioned for her to follow her upstairs to her classroom. Georgie bit her lip wondering if she were looking forward to meeting the new student or to administering the tests.  
  
Georgie needn't have worried. McGonagall was very hospitable and completely unassuming. She easily changed the several objects around the classroom as indicated by McGonagall-'Call me Minerva, really!-for instance a desk into a clawed bathtub, then an advance spell for changing her own arm into an elephants trunk. They both laughed as the trunk instinctively began to sniff Minerva's pockets.  
  
"Well, I'm impressed. But we'll see at the end of the week what you're feeling towards your classes as well. If you keep doing as well in the remainder of these tests, you'll only have Professor Binns and Hagrid, and that won't be very worthwhile for you I'd assume." She smiled.  
  
They walked out of the classroom and into her office and sat opposite each other, and chatted as only two women can chat. The spoke of Georgie's childhood, of the far-off places she'd visited as a child with her parents, of her new living arrangements down in the dungeons, her conversations with Dumbledore and Hagrid. Everything and anything. Georgie was really starting to warm up to this lady.  
  
Minerva leaned in and asked, "So how do you like sharing rooms with Severus?"  
  
"Taken aback, Georgie immediately asked, "Snape?" Duh, of course. She wanted to whack herself over the top of the head as soon as she's said it. Minerva nodded and winked.   
  
Georgie narrowed her eyes at her, " Why do you ask?"  
  
"Oh for goodness sake! Put that face away--you're scaring me. I just know how I'd react if I had to live so close to him." She sighed and looked, ceiling-ward. "Heaven knows at times I wished I were even further away than I am right now…"  
  
Georgie relaxed and smiled a bit. Honestly, that's been at the front of my mind all day. I just can't figure him out." She gave an exasperated sigh.  
  
"I can imagine, " Minerva turned and with a flick of her wand made an entire setting of tea for two appear. Georgie accepted the cup gratefully.  
  
"He's so strange and unreadable. At times he'll be snide and sarcastic--even downright mean and cruel. He's…." She faltered here, not knowing if it were right to speak so ill of the man, but the feeling passed quickly.  
  
"He's contemptuous of me and my background, my youth, hell...I can't do a single thing right. If I breathe too loud, he'll go ballistic." Taking a deep breath she continued in a more subdued tone. "But at the same time, sometimes he seems, melancholy--almost depressed. He spouts philosophy and stuff at me, half the time I'd swear he had a death-wish." At that, Minerva's face took on an even grimmer appearance, but she let her continue in silence.  
  
"I really dislike him, and I'm sure he feels the same way," She smiled at this remembering how she hadn't exactly made his day easier. "But at times, he acts almost human. Not like a normal human, no. But like someone that if given a chance might someday--after years of therapy-resemble someone normal. He was even sociable for a few moments before we fought again. It's an almost constant bickering between us." She stopped and drank deeply of her tea.  
  
"I can't say that Severus and I have always gotten along and never had petty arguments." Minerva began. "But I after time learned to control my reactions. It's not healthy to be showing this ugly side of adult relationships to the students. It detracts from the appearance of responsibility and intelligence that we hope to pass on to these students. Though I don't imagine that either of you would ever engage in such a public display. " Georgie stated smiling at that.  
  
"No," She murmured thoughtfully. "He's had his own problems since long before you've arrived. The rest of the staff has known for a long time now--nothing's new under the sun for us. He's had a hard life, though one of his own making. He's really a good fellow, deep, deep down--we all would trust him unquestionably. Who knows why he's the way he is. I've had my own private suspicions, but I won't let them influence you."  
  
Georgie nodded at this, feeling that she understood what she was trying to say. Yada, yada. Be nice, play nice, don't kill each other--especially in front of the students….  
  
Minerva smoothed out her skirts with her hands, "Give it time. You both seem to be hot-blooded and to jump to conclusions based on your first impressions. It will get better and easier, mark my words. And if it doesn't we'll find a place for you far away from that bitter old man." She winked at Georgie who was staring back at her blankly.  
  
  
On walking back to her room she reflected on what everyone had been saying about Professor Snape. Her neighbor was a veritable genius, with a serious deficiency in working with and understanding others, and a great excess of sneering, put-downs, and verbal abuse to spread around. She supposed his genius covered over these shortcomings for everyone else, but she wasn't fooled that easily.  
  
  
She was sick of seeing him, hearing about him, hell, even thinking about him. She was also a little pissed that everyone kept defending him. She had better things to do. She headed straight into her room and shut the door behind her.  
  
She spent the rest of the afternoon talking with Hagrid down in his cabin chit-chatting and eating his disgusting cakes. With a few minutes to dinner she headed back to her room to wash up.  
  
Snape was sitting on the couch in the lounge reading a heavy-bound book and looked up at her as she entered. They didn't speak as she came in plopped onto the couch. She hefted her feet up onto the table and settled herself deeply into the plush cushions with a resounding sigh.  
  
"Feet off the table." He piped up starring evenly at her with blank face.   
  
Slowly Georgie's face clouded over and she returned his gaze. She slammed her feet back on the floor, thundered to feet and stomped off to her room in a rage, and couldn't help letting her emotions get the better of her as she slammed the door after her. Jerk, she thought. But decided to not think about him.  
  
Instead she picked up her Muggle CD player and tapped it lightly with her wand. She'd known that electronic devices wouldn't work on the grounds of the castles, so she'd needed to fix hers up a bit.  
Smiling she turned the volume up slightly-not too loud though--and sat down to write off a letter.  
  
She sat down with parchment, quill and ink in hand at her desk and got to it. Soon though she was getting into her paper and song. This was one of major objections to the Wizarding world--it's obvious lack of music in everyday lives. She used to listen to music in the shower, before bad, even took it with her in portable players. Music was magic in and of itself.  
  
Singing quietly to herself she smiled at the melancholy song.  
  
Take me out tonight,  
Where there's music and there's people  
who are young and alive.  
Driving in your car,  
I never, never want to go home  
because I haven't got one  
anymore.  
  
Take me out tonight,  
because I want to see people and I  
want to see lights.  
Driving in your car,  
Oh please don't drop me home  
because it's not my home, it's their  
home, and I'm welcome no more.  
  
And if a double-decker bus  
crashes in to us,  
to die by your side  
such a heavenly way to die.  
And if a ten-ton truck  
kills the both of us  
to die by your side,  
the pleasure and the privilege is mine…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N-That song's There is a Light by The Smiths, the best band of all time. Oh yes, forgot to mention: absolutely none of the Harry Potter stuff belongs to me--of course. Jk. Rowling's a veritable genius and as it's fun to embellish on character's, it's not mine. Characters such as Georgie are mine. Also more to come-I've got it all up here in my brain, but it take such a long time to get it all out here for you. Also my English sux.  



	3. Chapter Three Quantum to Outings

Chapter Three-Quantum to Outings  
  
  
  
  
Several minutes later there was a knock at her door and she heard Snape's voice call through it. "You're going to miss dinner!"  
  
"Nah, I'm not too hungry, thanks." And she turned her concentration back to letters and got lost in the music.  
  
  
  
The next week passed in a complete whirlwind for Georgie. She met with and tested with the remaining teachers, and was starting to feel more at home in here dungeon in Hogwarts School. She even held a brief conversation with the Bloody Baron, the Slytherin House ghost one evening on the appalling behavior of Peeves the Poltergeist and how Dumbledore will take almost any ghost these days, regardless of breeding. She had miraculously held a straight face the entire conversation.  
  
On Friday she had a free day so she went into Hogsmeade after breakfast with Hagrid. Hagrid was the only person she could really talk to at the castle. She could be herself, goofy and childish and witty and he enjoyed her even more for it. It was a glorious day and Hagrid pointed out the sights of the town: The Three Broomsticks, The Shrieking Shack, Zonko's, and lastly a smallish bookshop that Georgie immediately got lost inside. She and Hagrid poured over a book on Kelpie's with fabulous illustrations, laughing at each one in turn.  
  
When they headed up the hill for the castle for lunch they were laughing and plotting he entire way. Snape wasn't seen at lunch, and come to think if it, frowned Georgie, he wasn't at breakfast either. But before she gave herself time to ponder over it, she shrugged the feeling off reminding herself that the man's entitled to his privacy.  
  
  
She spent the afternoon on her broomstick, just going back and forth above the castle grounds. She felt so free up here! Nothing pulling her down or hindering her, it was an exhilarating feeling. She dove and spun, hovered and caught the gusts of wind ever higher. What a way to relax.  
  
She landed and, broomstick in hand, started a tromp around the grounds. She used to love hill-walking, and she was quite good at going great distances over rugged terrain. Lost in her own thoughts she circled behind the school's Quidditch field enjoying the temporary shade. She happened to glance up and ahead of her, sitting on a fallen tree trunk was headmaster Dumbledore.  
  
She almost skipped over to him. "Fancy meeting you out here!" She exclaimed.  
  
"I oftentimes wish I had more occasions for going outdoors," He stood and smiled at her. "It's a truly fine day."  
  
She nodded in acquiescence, looking all about her. The old man with the long beard, offered her is arm, so she switched her broomstick to her free hand and accepted his arm. Off they went.  
  
Suddenly he asked her, "Do you have a favorite animal?" She almost stopped in her tread, but regained herself quickly and responded. "Yes. I'm fondest of Sea Creatures. I think my favorite of the week is the Sea Turtle."   
  
"Oh really?" He asked, head cocked to his side surveying her. "That was surprising. I pegged you for furry creature-perhaps a canine…"  
  
"Why do you ask?" She ventured, wondering what on earth a dog and herself would have in common.  
  
"A colleague once told it me it can tell a lot about a person's character and desires. Honestly, I haven't Trewlany's powers of interpretation, as I have no idea what a Sea Turtle's character and traits might be."  
  
Georgie stopped, put one palm on top of her other hand so that her fingers pointed straight out and she had a thumb sticking out from each side. She then began to rotate her thumbs, and Dumbledore beamed when he realized it looked like her hand was a rudimentary Turtle and it was swimming. "Sea Turtles are highly intelligent and fiercely stubborn, but everyone assumes they're just simple-minded because of their docile temperament and sweet facial expressions. Mark my words, they'll take over the world one day!" She got him to laugh at this last bit. And she relaxed back on his arm as the continued on.  
  
"How do you find the school?" He asked after a few minutes silence.  
  
"It's better than anything I'd anticipated. Everyone is so friendly here, It sort of takes one by surprise."   
  
They walked on a few more minutes, Georgie thinking hard to herself, and Dumbledore smiling to himself..  
  
"I wonder sometimes at the precarious position I'll be in when the term starts." She started. "I'm not a professor, but at the same time I'm not a typical student. I worry at times that the first friends and acquaintances I've made were teachers. I fear I may alienate the other students with my age and with my relationships with the teachers."  
  
On perceiving him looking at her, she turned to him, "But I still wouldn't have it any other way. The people here a very dear to my heart now after only one week. I couldn't imagine changing that." She smiled and looked wistfully away.  
  
She didn't feel awkward at the lapses in conversation with him. The silences seemed natural, and she was in no hurry to speak just to fill the space.  
  
"Do you regret our choice of living arrangements for you?" He asked quietly. "Minerva mentioned that you and Severus were sometimes at odds…" She cringed on hearing this, thinking, Minerva, you've got a big mouth. Dumbledore seemed to sense she was thinking this because he immediately replied. "She hasn't told me really anything, I'd sort of gathered as much by my own observation." And he left it at that.  
  
"We're fine, nothing serious. We're just not the best of friends." She explained away hurriedly.  
  
The old man nodded then brought up the fact that he'd seen her up on her broom earlier, and complimented her on her flying.  
  
She smiled at this, "I'm no Quidditch player, but I love flying up there by myself. I feel so unencumbered and light as air." She laughed at that cliché. "It's nice to leave everything heavy behind you, back on the ground." She added seriously.  
  
He seemed to understand. "Yes, I haven't gotten the occasion to fly just for pleasure for many years now. I envy you, my dear." He said with a twinkle in his eye. The headed back up to the castle.   
  
  
  
Dinner came and went. Afterwards Georgie ventured to play her music loud enough so she could hear it from her station on the couch, as she was sure Snape wasn't home. Maybe he went to visit a girlfriend or family on the weekend. She didn't really care.   
  
Around 11:30 Georgie burst back into her room at a run, throwing the door wide-open, and cranked up her stereo's volume as she recognized a favorite song. Gapping like an idiot, the music blared in front of her.  
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!  
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!  
  
She was doing a little jig and hopping in place, feeling the blood course through her again. She was having fun again.  
"Sa-sa-sa-sa-Saturday Niiiiiiight!" She howled along with the song. It was an older one she hadn't heard in a long time, but it brought back memories.  
  
She leapt up on her bed. Hopped around a bit, and grabbed her hairbrush off of her nightstand. Spinning and flouncing about, she sang with all her might into that poor hairbrush, strutting up and down her bed, jiving and dancing up something awful.  
  
"S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!"  
  
"But it's only Friday." She looked up in terror at Snape standing in her open doorway, sneering at her through clenched teeth. Her knees fell out from under her as she sunk onto the deep covers of her bed and she made a mad scramble to slam the off button on her player. Getting to her feet she just stood there as he looked down at her as if she were a worm. She felt so incredibly foolish, she honestly wished she could sink through the floor and disappear. Maybe she could use Obleviate and erase it from his memory. Damn, she'd probably looked like a huge idiot!  
  
He turned on his heels and glided back into the lounge. She followed him, waiting for him to say something. He sat gingerly on the couch and she stood at the end of hers, quite a bit away from him. He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, ignoring her.  
  
"Snape?" She asked, suddenly unsure of herself.  
  
He snapped one eyelid open. "What?"  
  
"Where'd you go tonight?"  
  
He laughed a low, malicious laugh, which made her frown. "It is of no concern of yours, of course, " He spat thunderously. "But your concern touches me." His silky voice was like venom tonight, grating on her nerves.  
  
"Snape?" She tried again.  
  
His eyes rounded on her, so she grimaced and continued. "You're bleeding."  
  
His frown deepened. His spindly fingers slowly reached up to the hairline on the right side of his forehead. She noted that he knew to look for it there, with no small amount of suspicion. She eyed him curiously. There was a great gash on his head, and it looked angry and raw. What the hell did he get up to?  
  
He rose and exited the room for the hospital wing, she assumed. Well if he didn't want to tell her, she didn't want to know.  
  
She wondered if she should wait up for him, but she hadn't the patience to put up with his attitude. She returned to her room and turned the music back up, but only half as loud. She didn't find the joy in it anymore tonight, so she grabbed her broom and headed outside. Running away was always a good thing.  
  
  
  
The next day Minerva and Georgie went into town to do some shopping in Diagon Alley and to stock up on school supplies. They gabbed about this style of robes, and shook their heads at some author of romance novels who was doing a book signing in the bookshop. She came home with a large parcel of potion ingredients she figured she'd need soon enough, some enchanted jewelry, a few more books at Flourish and Blotts ("Oh no, where am I going to put them!")-Some she figured she'd need for her classes, and a slight headache from the butterbeers she'd consumed. Butterbeers, it seemed where one of her many weakness, she thought with a lop-sided grin. She was virtually skipping by the time they figured they should head back.  
  
They'd passed what Minerva had pointed out to be Knockturn Alley, and Georgie was intrigued and desperately wanted to explore the street, but Minerva looked shocked and quickly dispelled any such notion of that on this trip. She'd just have to return another time; she smiled at the prospect. Minerva really was a dear, and she had only the best intentions in mind, but my goodness! She needed to loosen up quite a bit.  
  
  
  
"Hey Hagrid."  
  
"What?" He looked up from his plate at dinner at his friend sitting next to him.  
  
"Wanna hear a joke?" She chided.  
  
"Sure. Give it a go." He lifted a fork of mashed potatoes to his mouth.  
  
"A man walked into a bar and he said 'Ouch!'"  
  
Potatoes flew across the table and hot the transparent Professor Binns, who was just a spectator at meals anyway. The whole table's eyes turned on them both as they were doubled up with laughter over Hagrid's reaction. Hagrid's laugh shook the entire room and Georgie's was just as jarring.   
  
He apologized to Professor Binns, who in turn whispered good-naturedly to Georgie that it happened at least twice a week, so he was used to it. Georgie was close to tears.  
  
"That was the dumbest joke, I can't believer you laughed at it. I just expected you roll your eyes or something!"  
  
"Well, If you liked that one, I've got heaps worse even than that." She poked him the ribs  
  
  
They were acting ridiculous, but she didn't care. She could tell that Hagrid had a good heart the first day she met him. Of course it helped that Hagrid wore his heart on his sleeve. He was honest and open with everyone, and he never even took notice if people's meanings were different than their words. Kind of naive, but in a good way.  
  
They teased until dinner was over, then they waved their goodnight.  
  
  
Georgie set a small stack of books down on the coffee table and settled into her couch noiselessly. Lifting the topmost one she tore through the pages noticeably quicker than the average person would have taken to read it. Snape, lowered his own book, and looked over in he direction with an air of interest.  
  
"Speed reading?" He jabbed.  
  
"Studying." She hadn't bothered to look up.  
  
"What book?"  
  
"Dracula."  
  
He snorted. "Muggle fiction..."  
  
"Actually the blood-sucking, self-centered killer reminded me of someone I knew, so I decided to look into it…" She replied with a shrewd smile and bowed in his direction.  
  
She set that book down and lifted another, this time taking more time to read it, as she sat with her brows furled in concentration. She almost forgot he was in the room, until he interrupted her thought process with, "What book this time?"  
  
"Why?" She getting a little bit annoyed and angry.  
  
"Trying to be, as you so delicately put it, 'neighborly'." Nosy, more likely, she thought  
  
"You wouldn't know it." Or understand it, more likely she thought. This conversation is pointless.  
  
"Try me." He replied steadily.  
  
"It's called The Quantum Self, " She started with a sigh, and set the open book on her lap  
  
"What are you reading about?" Damn, she didn't feel like spending the night explaining theory to this pompous ass.  
  
"Noncomputability It has to do with Penrose's backing of Quantum theories for the mind. He argues that human thinking has an element that cannot be duplicated or simulated by a computing machine. It follows that humans can 'understand'-it comes intrinsically within each of us, this capability does-and therefore we understand what we are doing, comprehend the meanings, and act on this. Computing machines cannot in a sense 'understand'. They may follow a set of pre-determined algorithms, or logical commands, but that meaning and everything along with it--consequences for others, feelings, emotions--be damned in a word. Humanity is the essence of sensitivity, creativity, chaos, and at the base of it all, lies the soul."  
  
She stopped and paused. "I'm interested in understanding intuition at this moment-specifically whether it is brought on by environment or something else that can be measured or duplicated. I have a speculation about Magical theory and how it can co-exist in a Muggle world of concrete physical rules that appear to be sound enough and proven. I figure it has to do with either the mind operating at a Quantum level-but if so, how is it that there still exists the two groups, and 'Squibs', and the like. One simplistic approach is that it is 'Magic' and Magic is just what it is. An age-old mysterious force, but if that were so, and it were a force in-and-of itself, then we wouldn't be able to harness it as we do."  
  
She leaned back and shrugged. Heaving a sigh. Snape's face was expressionless. She'd probably lost him…or maybe, she didn't. She looked him over closely.  
  
"Perhaps there is some spiritual power behind it all." He offered.  
  
Raising her eyebrows, her mouth twitched into a smile. "Well, no self-preserving scientist would say so, only what we can see and prove is real right? But I think that perhaps there's a god who runs things in his time and creates it's own brand of order in the world. Just a theory…Just as possible as Quantum theories are, but makes more sense, in it's own unpredictable, human way. I guess if one had a stronger faith it'd make more sense…" Her voice dropped off as she sat in silence again.  
  
"What do you plan on doing when you graduate?"  
  
She laughed her usual boisterous laugh, eyes squinting. "Ah, there you go assuming I buckle down and graduate at all!"  
  
"You'll graduate." He spoke under his breath. "Wouldn't what you would want most in the world to be working for the Ministry? Probably Department of Mysteries…" He ended dryly.  
  
"Not what I want most in my life. But it'd be kind of fun. I don't know what I want to do with my life-who knows if I ever will. Maybe I'll open a shop or a pub and sell Butterbeers…" Her voice trailed off, imagining the fun she could have.  
  
"That seems like a waste."  
  
"You'd probably think so, " she nodded in assent. She twisted her lips with her fingers and stuck her face in an odd shape. "Blargh." She shook it out laughing.  
  
Snape just sat there staring at her as if she had a horrible disease.  
  
"You are so very odd."  
  
"Yeah, well you are an odd duck." She laughed at him.  
  
"You are highly infuriating."  
  
"Yeah, well you're a moody, sniping, towering bat with no sense of humor." She stretched her arms up over her head and gave a loud, drawn-out yawn. Then smacked her lips a few times, before looking back at him with a simpering smile. "Wanna tell me what else you think of me, while you're at?" She said sarcastically.  
  
However to her surprise and horror, he did. "You're immature. You don't take your studies or your life seriously. You fraternize with those decidedly below you. You live for fun, and play mind games. You're lacking in all proper manners and decorum. Your vocabulary nearly takes my breath away. You run about like you're all of 8 years of age, when most people your age are settling down, becoming serious, starting families, studying or working-OH! But not you." He bellowed. "Perhaps you're too good for anything like that. Wouldn't want to be molded into any semblance of a normal person. Is it part of your quest to be unique? Or do you have ulterior motives?" He hissed at her.  
  
Her heart was pounding and she by now full of white-hot rage. "How dare you? How fucking dare you?" She was on her feet in a second. "You're the one with the dark past and secrets! You're the one who show's up at midnight after having disappeared with blood all over you, like a common mongrel in a street fight. And my language? Where do you get off?! Everything you've ever said to me has been tinged with disdain and hatred. It must be physically impossible for your cold freaking heart and mind to think of anyone else in this world. Of their feelings, comforts and thoughts."  
  
"Decorum and manners my ass. I don't remember being vindictive as being taught at all the major finishing schools. And I've done my best to not upset you or any of your work and shady dealings.  
You're constantly trying to bait me into some petty argument, as if neither of us had anything to do. I reckon you must get some rise out of, so don't talk to me about mind games." She absently fingered her wand in her right hand pocket. His gaunt face was blanched and his black eyes were glittering and flashing as he took this all in, sneering.  
  
"And my goodness you must be really dense. I was sarcastic when I was saying spill your guts on what you thought of me. A true gentleman would never had said it, even if invited to. How's that for manners.  
Now you, you try and frighten and piss me off to hold me at arms length-If that's your M.O., more power to you, buck-o. But your constant scowling and glares are really starting to piss me off!" Her voice rose until she was almost hysterical and screaming. "But that still doesn't explain your greasy hair and your horrid habit of using that abysmally huge nose of yours to sniff out the rudest and most hurtful comments imaginable!" She clenched her knuckles so tightly they were turning white, even through her brown skin.  
  
They stayed for a minute too utterly outraged at each other to move or speak and so they just stared daggers at each other and wished they other one dead. Finally Snape stood up and swept back to his room and shut-the door behind him.  
  
Georgie put her head in her hands and wanted to cry. She had too big of a mouth and unleashed it too much and for too long. She was such an idiot. That sort of argument was beneath her and she regretted everything said. Oh course, she was still very, very upset about the things he had said about her, but for the most part she felt she hadn't done anything wrong so if his opinion of her was so low, well, oh well…  
  
"Incendio." She whispered across at the fireplace and it sprung to life, the orange and red flames licking and cackling at the wood. It was suddenly very cold in there, and she shivered to herself. But she deserved to suffer. She didn't fight clean, and she was ashamed at herself. She felt like crying, and felt horribly helpless and small, but she wouldn't allow it of herself.  
  
"Damnit." She whispered at herself. She hated herself right now. That was not George. George wouldn't act that way. She'd joke and tease, but really saying those things was awful. She was bigger than that. She felt a headache come on and she slumped back into the cushions and starred straight into the fire, losing all sense around her. Time seemed to melt away from her and her blank mind relaxed a little as she heard a clock somewhere tick of the passing seconds.   
  
Hours must've passed, hell, if she didn't know better, she'd have said days. The silence was a comfort to her, thinking was a bad idea. She was pathetic. Emotions suck, she allowed herself to grimace at that, then returned to her frown. Consciences do too.  
  
Suddenly there appeared a cup floating directly in front of her. Sitting up slowly, she followed the arm holding it around to the man standing right behind her couch. She hadn't heard him come in. His face was blank, his eyes cold and telling nothing once again. Geesh, is he drugged, she wondered. She stared a moment more at him, "Tea," he spoke quietly. Wrenching her gaze away from him she turned slowly back around and accepted the cup. He stepped carefully around and sat down on the other couch.  
  
He was studying her face, but she wouldn't allow herself to meet his gaze. She was still frowning deeply, was he going to apologize? Was she? Should she?  
  
"It's not poisoned," He submitted. He must've interpreted her concentration for suspicion.  
  
She cleared her throat. "I never thought that." She said quietly then drinking the fragrant beverage. It smelled of herbs like anise and sweetgrass.   
  
"Listen," She said, setting her cup down on the table and meeting his eye. "Um, I feel really shitty about this all tonight. I just think we got off to a strange start, ya know? I don't think either of us are lost causes, but I do think we're both pretty stubborn and hopelessly flawed. I abhor what I did and how I feel. We can start over and try to be honest and stuff, I mean, I think we should. We have to live down here for the next year…" Her voice trailed off.  
  
He looked her straight in the eyes and nodded. Picking up her cup and tapping it with his wand to refill it before handing it back to her. She nodded curtly at this. She was done talking.  
  
"I don't really know if this is a good idea, but…." He paused as if weighing whether to continue. "Well, perhaps as a token of our good faith and all, I'd like to take you somewhere tomorrow."  
  
Whatever she'd been expecting, this certainly wasn't it. She thought for a minute that this was a joke and didn't answer right away. At this point the last person on earth she wanted to spend a day with was Professor Snape-she was dead positive the feeling was still mutual. But if he was making an effort here, far be it from her to stand in his way. "Where to?" She asked.  
  
"That will be a, "he stopped her and smiled an insipid smile," A surprise." He was probably going to murder her and dump her body somewhere.  
  
She flicked an insolent, false smile his way. "Okay. Tomorrow."  
  
"After breakfast. We'll come back here." He stood, bowed in her direction, then went back to his room.  
  
This is going to be hell, pure hell, she whispered to herself dejectedly.   
  
  
  
  
  
She eventually fell into a deep and dreamless sleep, but she still woke up in a sour mood. She was still angry with her self, disappointed in herself. And purposefully putting herself in harm's way was the dumbest thing she could be doing today. She didn't want to think about it. But her prospect brightened a tad bit when she realized that tonight she'd find out which classes she would be taking this year. That idea excited her.  
  
At breakfast she mechanically chomped her bacon and eggs, and was polite and civil to all the inquires as to how she slept. Hagrid gave her a side-long glance, but didn't push it. He was so kind. Snape nodded to her down the table when she'd accidentally caught his eye. Dumbledore asked what she was doing that day and she gave a half-assed answer 'just going out.' He nodded and smiled, with a peculiar twinkle in his eye. Holy crap? Did Snape tell him something? No Snape's as tight-lipped as the come, literally and figuratively.  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief, she rose and excused herself from the table. A few minutes later Snape grumbled something inaudible and flew from the room. McGonagall pursed her lips, and spoke low to Dumbledore, "That can't be good." He chuckled at this. She continued. "Do you think we should separate those two?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head wisely, "No, they'll both figure things out among the both of them. Both of them can be a good and sobering influence on the other one."  
  
"If they don't manage to hex each other to death first." Minerva pointed out.  
  
"I won't let it get to that," He assured her.  
  
  
She was sitting straddle-legged over the end of the couch wearing her cloak when he arrived downstairs. "Need anything?" She asked.  
  
"Just your broomstick and your person." She plopped up and ducked inside her room to snatch up her broomstick. Returning back, she saw him nod at her, his in broom in hand. "Ready?"  
  
She nodded. He spun around and headed outside. She followed him and his billowing robes closely, not wanting to give any reason for complaint.  
  
He stopped a few feet away from the building outside and motioned for her to stand next to him. He reached out and wrestled away her broom to her chagrin, looping some rope-like, luminescent stuff over the front of it. "What the hell is that?" Georgie pointed as he handed it back to her. "It's a lead rope, so you don't get lost on the way." He snarled as if it were blatantly obvious.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not that bad of a flier, you know, I can just use my eyes and go where you go." She spoke to him as if he were five years old.  
  
"But that won't be possible," he smile mockingly and held up a long strip of black fabric. Her eyes flew open and she began shaking her head, harder and faster. "No. No….No freakin' way. No way in hell. Not happening. No." It was a blindfold. She folded her arms defiantly across her chest.  
  
He seemed amused at this. "I'm afraid I must insist. It would be dangerous for you if you saw where we were going and how to get there, so it's for your own safety entirely."  
  
She wrapped her cloak even tighter around herself, frowned hard at him, then nodded the okay.  
  
She gripped her broom tightly and saw the world vanish before her eyes as Snape reached around tying a secure knot. When he finished, she instinctively moved her head, left, right, up and down, and saw blackness in every direction. "You know you could have just cast a Blinding charm on me." She said in the direction he was last in.   
  
"Yes, but this way's much more fun." He replied from somewhere on her right side.   
  
"For you," she muttered to herself. Lots of fun. She felt really vulnerable and wanted to get this over with. She wondered if they were going to be back for lunch.  
  
"Watch yourself, I'm kicking off now," he warned. And a few seconds later she felt a tug on her broomstick so she kicked off too. She didn't even want to think about the landing.  
  
"I hate flying blind." She said so quietly he wouldn't hear her. She grasped the handle with both hands and found it much easier to keep her balance then she expected. Not so bad, she almost smiled. The wind was refreshing and she could feel the sun on her face. Too bad she was missing the view.  
  
They flew in silence for a very long time. She didn't really have anything to say, so she just pondered some mundane things. Which robes to buy, which classes she might have, how much she really needed to clean up the floor of her bed-chamber. Bummer, she actually ventured a smile on that one.  
  
Severus Snape was happened to be looking back to check on her and half-smiled himself when he saw her own smile. He knew she'd come around if given time. Not that he cared if she were happy or smiling or not, because he didn't. He was just glad she was not going to hex him.  
  
After another long silence-an eternity it felt like, "Okay we're landing, so hold on." She grasped a together hold and felt her broom make a wide circle that kept getting lower. "Here we go, pay attention now!" He barked. As if I could fall asleep, she thought bitingly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N-I'm having a lovely time writing this. I figure it's therapy.  
You know the drill, it belong Rowling. Bow to her, not to me. Ciao.  



	4. Chapter Four Day Tripping

Chapter Four--Day Tripping  
  
  
  
She landed with an extra hop, her arms out for balance, and was just glad she didn't bite the dirt. She felt his hands untying the knot behind her head. Suddenly color exploded into her vision again, and she had to shield her eyes from the gleaming sunshine. Her mouth dropped open as she took in all that was around her.  
  
They were on an island and they were a few strides away from a cliff that plummeted dangerously down. She walked slowly and carefully over to the edge just as a huge wave broke against the sheer cliff and sent water shooting up far above her head. She jumped back with surprise and glee. But, she hadn't gotten wet at all.   
  
She craned her neck to see further down the shore craggy bluffs that morphed seamlessly into tall bent green grasses. Beyond that, fell the browns and grays of the wet sand along the shoreline. Spinning around her, she saw that directly behind her were scattered solid oaks standing sentinel over a soft brown, forest bed of needles and dead leaves. She could have wrapped her arms around several and not been able to link arms. This place was plenty strange, but magical too.   
  
"Where are we?" She breathed.  
  
"An island." He replied. She threw her eyes sky-ward, shaking her head and muttering. You think? She thought to herself. Duh.  
  
She walked a little bit beyond the first trees as if in a trance and spied what looked to be the top of some castle ruins. Her eyes lit up and she dropped her broomstick, leaving it where it lay. Where the hell was this place? Her open mouth tilted up at the corners into a smile of delight.   
  
Snape come up behind her, looking very amused at her expressions and surprise. "Pretty, isn't it?"  
  
"Ohmygosh, pretty doesn't come near to describing it. It's beyond magical, it's enchanted, bewitched, perfect…. Is this place naturally like this?" He nodded at her.  
  
"Can we see the ruins?" She asked as if a child at an amusement park. She thought that too, but was too possessed to care.   
  
"Of course--that's the best part." He took off down the hill.   
  
She followed afterwards, but their progress was slow because Georgie was kicking toadstools and inspecting the prospect down to the water and dragging a large stick behind her leaving a trail. Also she stopped at every few trees to wrap herself around the trunk to see if they were really as big as she thought they were. The trees didn't disappoint her.  
  
Looking up from a tree that she was embracing comically, she called out, "Severus. This place is perfect. Thank you so much for bringing me here." Then she turned back to her tree and gave it a quick peck on the bark then disengaged herself. She followed him humming to herself off-key, mouth agape looking as if she might drool all over the place.  
  
Snape was pleased that she was pleased. He was still a little wary of her queer behavior, but he guessed people expressed things in different ways. He just hoped she wouldn't try and hug him. But her praise struck a chord with his vanity so he allowed her whatever she might do. He was also pleased she used his name, though he'd be damned if he ever let on.  
  
They came around the back of the castle and hopped over underbrush to reach the old entrance. The most of the roof had caved in many, many years ago, as did some of the walls. They walked in to what used to be an entrance hall. The walls rose up for several stories, so the ceiling must have been quite lofty and impressive. Snape leaned into the bay of a partially wrecked oriel window, crossed his arms, cocked his head and gestured with his head further into the castle. "Take off and go have a look about the place."  
  
She clasped her hands together, jumped up and spun around squealing, before bouncing out of the room.  
  
Georgie was so excited she was running. And now she was out of breath. The castle was more of an enormous manor house, then a true castle, but it was immense. She's run through what had probably been the kitchens off to the side of one of the great dinning rooms. There was a low fireplace that ran the entire length of the room and a formerly solid, but now rotted out worktable in the center of the room. The dinning hall had a raised dais sort of platform along the back.  
  
She tore back through the entryway and saw Snape still standing as she left him. "This is incredible!" She gushed as she mounted the mammoth staircase. "Have you seen all of this?" He nodded the affirmative as she bounded up the stairs.   
  
A few of the bedchambers still had roofs over them and she was amazed at how spacious the rooms were. Perhaps they belonged to royalty or something. This was so cool! There was a sort of balcony at the end of a corridor that led to the mostly fallen battlements. She popped her head out side, but decided to check the rest of the downstairs first.  
  
He looked up as he saw her descending the staircase. "This is so cool. How come not so many people know about this place? It's amazing. There are some battlements still standing outside--I'm going to go over them as soon as I finish with the main floor." Her voice echoed as she walked out of sight but continued conversing with him. "Really, some great people must've lived here. There are heaps of bedrooms up stairs, and by the size of the kitchens and the dinning hall there must've been--" She broke off suddenly.  
  
Snape pushed off his perch and followed her to see what had scared her into shutting up, he thought with a smile. He discovered her in what used to be another great room. This one wasn't as large as the dinning hall, but it was considerable larger than the salon. He knew what it was, but he smirked wondering if she could figure it out.   
  
"It's a ballroom of sorts." She muttered to herself, biting her lip. Or it might've been at one time, the ceiling still stood, but the floor was covered by debris that must've blown in from the obvious lack of windows. The high slits of where the windows used to be allowed a sort of soft, yellow light to waft in. But it was wonderful as it was. Several varieties of flowers had made the floor their new home and ivy, mosses and vines carpeted the walls until the place looked like a bower or a sanctuary. It was breathtaking really. Georgie wasn't really big on flowers, but appreciated the color they added to this strange place of light.   
  
She shook her head, and murmured, "Perfect…"  
  
Severus Snape smiled his first real smile in a long time, but she didn't get to see it.  
  
She turned on Snape. "This place is crazy." Eyes flashing with amusement. "In Poland we didn't have castles like these. We did have heaps of ruins, but none so…like this. This one kinda belongs here, on this crazy island, by those crazy trees, having the crazy ivy crawl all over it. I like it. I likey." She repeated in a silly voice. He scowled at this, but it was more out of habit than disapproval.   
  
She shook off the feeling of sappiness, and volunteered, "I'm going out to see the courtyard and the battlements." That was her version of an invitation, and wasn't at all surprised when he didn't follow.  
  
The high walls of the battlements looked like they could have withstood an army of invaders, but she guessed that what really might have brought them down was lack of maintenance. The courtyard was surrounded on all sides ands she stalked on over to what she guessed might've been a stable or kennel. Not anything spectacularly interesting in here, so she high-tailed it back to find Snape.   
  
She met him standing in the front entryway again. "Now what?" He quipped. She merely smiled and shrugged, "You've been here before. Show me what you think is cool."  
  
"Cool," he repeated, as if testing the word. Then gathering himself up straight, he strode over and out the front door. Uh, she thought blinking, maybe I should follow him. What a heel and she rolled her eyes.  
  
They were following a steep path down towards the water. They were picking their way carefully as there were exposed tree roots and loose dry clay, that kept tripping them up. It was kinda fun. "This is…an adventure!" Georgie suddenly sang out to no one in particular. "Woo-hoo!"  
  
They finally cleared the woods and found themselves on a smallish beach littered with man-sized rocks. The water came in less-violently here and the sun shone off the dark water, looking like diamonds floated there on the surface just out of reach.  
  
Snape seemed to have forgotten that she was there, which was fine by her. He walked towards the water and stood there, gazing intently out. Georgie squinted her eyes trying to see what he was so taken with, but couldn't see anything other than water, rocks, sky and sun.   
  
She lifted herself up onto one of the rocks and holding her arms out from her sides for balanced heaved herself onto the next one a few feet away. She grinned as she imagined the sight she made, bounding from rock to rock, but she wasn't so worried about what he thought anymore.  
  
After a few minutes, Snape collected himself and strode over to one of the rocks she had been using. When she turned around to come back she found Snape looking up at her on the sixth one. She crouched down and grinned wickedly. "What's up?"  
  
His mouth twitched at this and he said off-handedly, but still accusingly, "I used to do that when I was six years old." She couldn't mistake his tone, but chose to ignore it for the time being. "You were here when you were six?" She prompted.  
  
"I grew up here." He stated simply.  
  
"No freakin' way! You grew up here? Wow." She looked around her and asked, "Where?"  
  
"I'm impressed that you didn't assume one of the caves."  
  
"Well, you do remind me of an overgrown bat. But even overgrown bats need to munch something--need kitchens for that." She suddenly thought of something, "You're not a vampire bat are you?" She asked jokingly. "If you are, I mean, hey, no problem--we can't help what we are and stuff…."  
  
"I'm not a vampire." He growled. She winked at him.  
  
"My family's house is on the other side of the island."   
  
He turned away and looked out and gestured at the water once more, "I learned to swim on this beach."  
  
Her voice brought him out of his contemplation, "Is your family there now?"  
  
"No. They're all gone now." He said totally devoid of emotion. She scrunched up her face in thought at this, but let it go.  
  
Her stomach chose that exact moment to make it's presence known to the two people nearest it. She chortled in laughter. "Sorry, it's got a mind of it's own!"  
  
"It has great timing though…" Puzzled at his statement she jumped down off of her rock and stood a few feet from Snape as he whipped out his wand and a few seconds later a large box could be seen zooming over the landscape straight towards them. He directed the box to touch down right in front of them both.  
  
"No one's up there, but we still have house-elves who are going half-mad from the lack of things to do. I sent an owl this morning to instruct them to make lunch for us." She nodded in understanding.  
  
He brandished his wand once more and the box opened itself and several blankets flew out only to spread themselves over the cool sand. This was followed by container after container of food. Georgie couldn't see what it all was yet, but she was already impressed once more today.  
  
"You know," she began off-handedly, "Many people think having house-elves is a bad idea…" She goaded.  
  
"But you don't." On seeing the vacant expression on her face, he continued, "I've heard it said that you are very friendly with the Hogwarts house-elves. You pay them social calls sometimes three times a week." He acted shocked at his own words.  
  
Georgie giggled, and assented. "It's all horribly true! Now you know the secret behind my junk food addiction. They're my Diet Coke suppliers!" She mock wailed, then snorted.  
  
Georgie plopped herself unceremoniously on the other side of the box from Snape. She was nosily picking at the lid to one of the food boxes. Snape glanced over her shoulder. "Speaking of which…"  
  
A smaller box smacked into the back of her head. "Ow!" She yelped. It hadn't really hurt much, and she was more surprised than anything else. She glared at him, then picked up the offending box and opened it. It was full of Diet Cokes.  
  
She set it aside and grinned broadly. "You big dork. You could have warned me or something." She laughed full out now.  
  
He was tearing the lids off the boxes and setting them out. He looked up at her, "That would've ruined the surprise." He said in a deadpan voice.  
  
She just shook her head at this, shrugged her shoulders and smiled. He would've made a fun serial killer…  
  
  
  
  
"I like to take a drink of soda in my mouth, then take a bite of potatoes and eat it all in one go." She explained her odd picnic-ing palate.  
  
"Hey Snape?" He looked up as she set down her roasted chicken. "How come you don't live at your house?" She asked delicately.  
  
"Ghosts." He said simply. She wonder if he meant real ghosts, or symbolic ones. But she guessed the latter, and she left it alone.  
  
She thought that for the first time he looked sad and not his usual angry. She felt bad for him, whatever he was thinking about…  
  
"Snape, what's your favorite animal?"   
  
"Why?" He asked quickly.  
  
"Dumbledore asked me the other day…. Just curious."  
  
"Curiosity killed the cat," He spoke bitterly.  
  
"Which animal though?" She persisted.  
  
"I don't know. I detest furry things. Never thought about it, really…" And he stopped.  
  
Georgie popped open a diet coke, mm-kay that didn't work.  
  
"I think I prefer whales, the large ones in the Arctic." He said with meaning. Georgie didn't move and just stared at him. He looked challenging "I should have said Snake's right? Because I'm a Slytherin."  
  
"No, you weren't supposed to say anything in particular. Just a surprising choice. Dumbledore says it has to do with your character--which animal you related to, I guess…" she mumbled.  
  
"I think that's a load of hogswash." He said determinedly.  
  
"I think it's interesting, but yes I agree, it's a bunch of bunk. But kinda a fun question." She grinned a bit anxiously. Then looked out at the waves coming in.  
  
"I wish I had my camera," she mused.  
  
"I could get one from the house."  
  
"Nah, I was just talking. Just trying to say, 'Wow, this places is gorgeous'--picture-worthy even!" She smiled at him.  
  
"Really, I could get it easily. It's been sitting there unused since I was in school." He persisted.  
  
"No, It's cool. I don't really, really want one. I can remember everything fine enough using just my head." She laughed. "You doubt my memory! Typical male too. Offering a solution. Females just talk to talk--to share thoughts and ideas, to share burdens of problems, junk like that…. Guys offer solutions to problems. They jump to the conclusion that if you talking about a predicament, you're automatically fishing for a solution. 'Oh, someone fix this for me!' I reckon most people don't even really want their difficulty to ever be solved. What ever would they find to talk about then?!" Georgie laughed at her own speech.  
  
She diverged on a different path before he could even think to begin criticizing women. "I can't imagine you as being school aged. What were you like?" She settled down into lying on her stomach on the blankets. Her legs were falling asleep-ouch, pins and needles!  
  
"I was shorter…I had short hair. I took classes." He answered, knowing full well that that wasn't what she had meant.  
  
"No, like your pursuits and all. We're you locked up in your basement all the time, being forced to make potions until they were right? Did you stare into a mirror for hours, trying to perfect the best cold-stare?"  
  
"Well, you've pretty much summed me up." He quipped snidely, but still mildly enough for her to know that he wasn't being vindictive. He ran his fingers absent-mindedly through his hair and he looked out across the landscape, as if remembering.  
  
"I spent my happiest times outdoors. Swimming and hiking and scabbing up my knees--normal childish antics. Inside I followed around our cook and idolized her from a very young age. I think I got my love of creating potions partly from her," He allowed. Georgie didn't say anything, but noted that his family had a cook. His family must be very well off indeed. Well, duh, yeah. That and they owned an island.  
  
"It was very quiet and I read and studied much and observed nature on hours at end. I took up photography seriously for awhile, mostly to displease my mother, because she thought the contraptions were strange. She bought me a guitar and a violin to tempt me--neither of which I played."  
  
"We traveled as a family every summer. My parents were intent on filling us with as much culture as they could. It was a pleasing childhood," He reflected. "Nothing was seriously lacking, I suppose. Just normal.."  
  
He turned to her with a helpless shrug. "I'm sorry I don't know what you want to know…"  
  
"No that was cool. You make a little bit more sense now, methinks." She grinned. She thought hard for am moment on his inadvertent slip. He had said 'us' when he said his parents tried to give him culture. So Snape had a sibling. Since he didn't talk about them, she figured he didn't want to-maybe they were at odds or something. And she really didn't think it a good idea to pursue it. If it were bad, she honestly didn't want to deal with it today.  
  
"What were you like growing up?" He asked her right back.  
  
"I'm still growing up," she beamed. He groaned at this. "Never growing up!" She added.  
  
"Really." He spat.  
  
Still gleeful, "Just as normal as yours was." She highly doubted the complete honesty of both of their stories. If she was guarded, then he was probably being so as well.  
  
"But it was only like, 5 years ago!?" She threw in incredulously. He widened his eyes motioning her to continue anyway. "I ate heaps, lived in Canada and Central Europe. Attended a Muggle Gymnasium--know what those are?" He nodded. "Attended my Gymnasium--I was a bit of a nerd--then I went to The Institute."   
  
"Well, I was goofy. Practical jokes abounded. A very social creature. Always going to see shows and movies. I took dance lessons: I can Salsa and Merengue and Cha-cha, I'll have you know!" She winked, he shook his head. Oh yeah and Hula--It's a 'roots' thing. When you're Polynesian people expect it of you. I used to go out hiking heaps too: by myself and with friends. I still love it…" she faltered as she remembered the fun times.  
  
Shaking herself out of zoning-out, "I listened to heaps of music. I play guitar a little--can't sing to save my life. Watched a lot of cartoons. It's probably a good thing our lounge doesn't have a TV, or else I'd be even more annoying. Went to church, wasn't a Girl Scout--or even a Boy Scout. I had fun. Very few regrets and I can still laugh. I think it was a successful childhood then." She grinned and thought back absently.   
  
She sat up again and took off a shoe. Snape was looking at her with sheer disapproval. "What are you doing?"   
  
"Geesh, Snape." She rolled her eyes. "Taking my shoes and socks off. I wanna roll-up my pants and walk in the water to cool off. Wanna come?" Attacking the other foot.  
  
He was still staring at her. "They're not going to reek! Gawd, you're such a spazz!"   
  
She got to her feet and flexed her toes, then looked in his direction. "I've got noxious fumes! Ahhh!" And she threatened to stick her feet in Snape's direction, but didn't really get too close.  
  
"Coming?" She tried again.  
  
"No." He said lowly.  
  
"Fine, you're missing out." On life, on fun, on laughter, on friendship…Georgie sighed. She turned her back and struggled her way to the water's edge.  
  
She gingerly stuck her toes in. Nah, not too bad. I've swam in waaay colder waters than this.  
  
She backed up a bit and yelled over her shoulder, "The water's fine Snape! Really!" In a last ditch effort to get him to join in. A short ways down the shore the edge of the water was dotted by large boulders, some under water, some half-in, half-out.  
  
She clamored over and jumped up on the first one, slightly painfully now that her feet were bare. She ignored and had forgotten about it as she stretched over to reach the next one. Slowly she made her way to the furthest one out which was overlooking a deep and clear pool. She crouched down and washed her hands off hastily in the water, wiping the water off on her pants legs. She stood up and looked out, squinting in the sunshine.  
  
Abruptly, she felt something push her forward, and for a few agonizing seconds she fought to try and regain her balance--contorted into a strange and spastic dance--but in the end, she sort of yelped and arms flailing, fell into the water.  
  
It wasn't very deep and she rocketed up to stand up out of the water. She opened her eyes and rounded around to come face to face-literally-with Snape. Her mouth was open and she coughed hard, and sputtered, slobbering water and starring in wide-eyed horror at him. He, long skinny legs and all, was crouching down on the rock where she was just standing, knees to his chest grinning funnily, like a normal person would. But she didn't notice.  
  
She was clutching her hands and shaking-from the shock, not the water-her shoulders tensed up and her face frozen. Finally able to find her voice, she mumbled. "You prick, " she screeched shivering slightly.  
His grin grew. "You creepy asshole….You…you…." She was beyond surprised, and she was too shaken up to form more words. She just stared at him, mouth-hanging down to her chin.  
  
He looked to be biting his lip and was highly amused at her reaction. He offered her his hand, "I couldn't resist." He said almost jovially.   
  
She slowly, as if she didn't trust him, untwisted her hands and grabbed a firm hold of his hand, which was being held, right above her head. As soon as she grabbed hold of his hand there was a pause, and neither of them did or said anything. Then Georgie looked up, deep into his eyes and like a fire, a huge grin appeared to spread across her face, stretching from ear-to-ear. Snape suddenly seemed to have something dawn on him, but by then it was too late. Georgie yanked with all her strength and Snape fell in ungracefully.  
  
He landed right next to her and when he surfaced, she didn't even turn around to look at him. "I'd rate that one a six-point entry."  
  
He plodded over to her and placed himself right in front of her. He looked pissed, and for a second, she though, uh-oh, did I go too far? But She thrust her chin out defiantly and waited for it.  
  
He just stood there, being dragged down by his wet clothes shaking in fury; his face was totally stark and white. Then it changed. The corners of his mouth twitched to betray him and the corners of his eyes crinkled up as he let a little smile escape. "That was interesting. Let's do that again, alright?" And he turned and hefted himself out of the water and plopped his soggy self down on the rock.  
  
"Huh?" She stood where she was staring after him. "I thought you were going to kill me…" She called out after him, a bit uncertainly.  
  
Snape was removing his shoes-something Georgie hadn't thought of, and wanted to smack her head for it. She hoped they weren't ruined. But with his amused look, he glanced up and good-naturedly reasoned, "You had a right to do it. I would've been disappointed in you if you'd passed that opportunity."  
  
"Who are you and what have you done with Severus Snape?" Georgie demanded harshly.  
  
He stood up having finished, and growled, "Georgie, I'm myself."  
  
"No you're not. You're cool and fun, your company's enjoyable, you're hospitable…you're an imposter!" She nearly screamed and pointed a finger at him.  
  
He smiled ever so slightly at this and nodded at her compliment, then replied impatiently, "So are we swimming or are we not?"   
  
"I....can't…handle…THIS!" She screamed dramatically whipping the back of her hand up to her forehead and pretended to faint as she fell backwards and sank under the water.  
  
"Always an affinity for the melodramatic..." He muttered under his breath as he mounted a neighboring rock that rose above the rest, and stood atop.  
  
She surfaced and blinking she tested, "So, I should enjoy the new you while I can, 'cuz who ever took over your body is going to return the real you to it once we get back to Hogwarts, is that it?"  
  
"That seems about right," He replied blankly.  
  
"Good enough for me. Snapey, Snapey, Snapey's swimming in the waaaa-ter……." she sang as she swam further out. With an exasperated look, he shrugged and was about to dive in--  
  
"--Make sure you dive out into deep enough water." She warned. He looked at her rudely.  
  
She felt dumb and hurriedly explained, "I don't know…thought maybe you hadn't swam here since you were little, and I wouldn't want to have to drag your limp body with a broken neck back to Hogwarts and try and explain. NO ONE would believe me anyway--they'd just think I fought with you and had to kill you, er, something…" he was still giving her that, shut-up-stupid look. "Nevermind," she ended dejectedly.   
  
He dove in and caused a huge tidal wave to course at Georgie. Well, Georgie thought it was a tidal wave, but it obviously wasn't. "Wee, like surfing…"  
  
They swam about and took turns jumping off the higher rocks. Soon they were pruney and starting to shiver for real. Snape swam over to where Georgie was floating on her back in her own world, being rocked by the tide. She opened her eyes and Snape was right above her. "AH! Don't freaking do that!"  
  
He was taken aback at that. She really was a jumpy person!  
  
"I'm hopping out to dry off."  
  
"Okily, I'll follow you then in a minute." She smiled at him, wondering if they'd dry out in time to go for a hike.  
  
He jumped out and was shaking out his long black hair like a dog and wringing out his black shirt.   
  
Georgie wolf whistled, and he looked up in surprise. Mischievously she said, "Wow, hottie!"  
  
"I don't know what you mean."   
  
When she whistled again, "Oh grow up!" He said scowling and walked back towards the blankets.  
  
"Hey, what'd I say?" She belly-laughed. This day was just too weird and she almost didn't want to slow down long enough to analyze it. She was having a blast and Snape really wasn't all that bad if you caught him unawares, she just worried that he'd be ten-times worse tomorrow to make up for it.  
  
She dragged her water-heavy clothes back across the sands. Snape turned around with an evil smile on his face and his wand in his hand pointing straight at her. She froze with a confused, slightly hurt look on her face.  
  
"You do have a very expressive face." He pointed out without moving.  
  
"It's the Polynesian part of me…" She indicated with her eyes towards the wand.  
  
"Starting a fire," he said off-handedly, but still grinning. He did that on purpose, she thought. Mind-games again--trying to trip me up. She rolled her eyes right in his face, and pushed past him, noticing the pile of split-wood.  
  
"You know, we both do have wands and can dry by magic faster…" She pointed out before dumping herself unceremoniously on the blankets and rolling onto her back, relaxing.  
  
"You don't always use your wand for everything magic…" He raised his eye brows and challenged.  
  
"No, I don't always, but I do when I'm drying myself out," she frowned and sat up on one elbow. "So why the fire?"  
  
"I like fires better." He was bending over arranging the wood. Okay…she thought, just great.  
  
"Freakin' pyro, aren't ya? Burn, baby, burn!" She smiled.  
  
"Hit the nail on the head," He said drolly. "Incendio…" The flames instantly leapt up.  
  
"Ah, much better, "Georgie buzzed and moved closer to the warmth. It was still sunny out and light, but it was a bit chilly.  
  
He sat down across the fire from her and they sat in silence just enjoying the fire. "The natural way does it so much better…" He said convincingly.  
  
  
"Mwah-ha-ha…." Georgie giggled.  
  
"What?" Snape looked at her through the flames.  
  
"Nothing. Just being weird."  
  
"You said it, not I."  
  
"No, you've said it before, " she pushed.  
  
He was silent; she hummed under her breath to herself, quiet enough so that he couldn't hear her and make comments. He prodded and poked the fire.  
  
  
She was playing with her nails, and smoothing out her pants legs so that they dried evenly. "Georgie?" She looked up questioningly, "Yeah?"  
  
He hesitated, "You used to play the guitar?" He looked like he was turning something over in his mind, and he was frowning again. Great, what can he have to say about it now? She braced herself.  
  
"Can you still play it? Perhaps even today?" She smiled and let out a breath of relief she hadn't realized that she had been holding in.  
  
"Yeah, I'm pretty bad at it. But," she frowned, "Well I obviously didn't bring mine here to this island." She laughed a little at this.  
  
He remained serious. "Accio Guitar!" He barked.  
  
She groaned and slumped over, "You mean you were serious? Dude, I'm not that great! I couldn't possibly play anything you'd find interesting. And I mess up half the time, I have to start over like a hundred times before it comes out right." Seeing him smiling obstinately, she whined, "This is not fair! I'm going to make a complete ass of myself, opening myself up to comments and barbs from you, you'll have heaps to laugh at for days…REALLY, I'm not that good. People always say that out of modesty, but I suck!" When she paused for breath she realized that he was holding the guitar already. Damnit, she thought. He held it out to her.  
  
She sat down and began tuning it. "Man, this is waay off! When's the last time you played it?" She grumbled. He settled back onto the blankets and lay his head back onto his folded arms. "You can start at any time," he poked.  
  
She just looked up and grumbled, before tuning some more. She thought he had fallen asleep in the sun, by the time she was ready to go. She tapped him with her foot. "You still awake?"  
  
"Of course. Now start." He said authoritatively.  
  
"Yes sir, Professor, " she said saucily and saluted.  
  
"You're going to regret this." She warned.  
  
"Just play the instrument." At this, she shrugged and began to play.  
  
She loved the Muggle band The Smiths and played a few of their songs figuring out of all the songs she knew, he'd least object to those. She even accidentally sang a couple.  
  
  
I know I'm unlovable,  
You don't have to tell me.  
I don't have much in my life  
But take it-it's yours.  
  
I know I'm unlovable,  
You don't have to tell me.  
Message received,  
Loud and clear:  
I don't have much in my life  
But take it-it's yours.  
  
I wear black on the outside,  
Because black is how I feel on the inside.  
And if I seem a little strange, Well, that's because I am.  
But I know that you would like me,  
If only you could see me;  
If only you would meet me.  
  
  
  
When she got tired, she set the guitar down and stated, "All done."  
  
He sat up, and noted, "You're right--you can't sing to save your life."  
  
She gave a dirty look, then pouted. She thought she wasn't that bad.  
  
"I was joking." He seemed to read her thoughts.  
  
"Okay, send it back now." She told him.  
  
"You." He challenged.  
  
Looking nonplussed, she lifted her empty hand and without a word performed a banishing charm that sent the guitar flying into a surprised Snape's lap.  
  
"Good," He said approvingly. She ignored this. "Got anymore Diet Cokes?" She bit her lip and smiled demurely.   
  
She knocked back the soda quickly and helped re-pack the food box, chewing on several sticks of celery in the process.   
  
Snape prodded, "Don't you ever stop eating?" If looks could kill….  
  
He sent the box and the guitar flying back over the island to the unseen house.   
  
"Well that was that." She yielded. "Goodbye Diet Cokes! I'll miss you!" Snape sneered at her.   
  
"What?" She asked innocently.  
  
"What now?" He implored, "We have two more hours until we should be back at Hogwarts for dinner. If you would like, we can leave now, or we can do something else. What do you want to do?"  
  
"I dunno. What do you want to do?"  
  
"I'm asking you."  
  
"And I was asking you."  
  
"Georgie-"  
  
"-Severus." She frowned. He stopped.  
  
She twisted her face. "I really don't mind if you want to choose. I'm trying to be nice." She pointed out.  
  
"Fine, I choose. Well, then I suppose I choose to hike." He said simply.  
  
She beamed. "I would've chose that!" She claimed delightedly.  
  
"I know." He said, and smiled deviously.  
  
She groaned and turned on him, "Wait…"  
  
"This is not up for discussion. We hike." He held up his hand with finality.  
  
She gulped. Surrendering, she looked down at her feet and muttered, "such a pompous…" and he smiled slightly at this and took off. Thank you, she thought, but couldn't voice it as she tore off after him.  
  
  
The hike was a good ending to the day, They talked very little, but took in many sights. The island was something like 15 miles to go around the entire coastline, but they didn't go that way. They zigzagged back and forth and saw some spectacular views of the ocean and even crossed a large clearing where rabbits hopped across their path. Everyone once in a while at a turn in the path, he'd ask her to choose right or left, and she'd choose one or the other and off they'd go in that direction.   
  
Later on they were treated to flaming sunset sky to light their way. They didn't stop for it specifically but kept glancing out at it over the water.  
  
  
She thought at first that they were wandering aimlessly, but when a while later they ended up at the top of the sheer cliff that they landed on, Georgie realized he must've know where we were going the whole time.  
  
But on seeing her broomstick, she was reminded once again of the blindfold. "Come on," She turned to Snape pleading. "I don't really need to--"  
  
He held it up right in front of her face. She frowned and tried her hardest to look despondent.  
  
"I still must insist: For your own safety. No arguments if you want to go back at all."   
  
"I could apparate."  
  
"You could," he assented. But they both knew that she wouldn't. She sighed and walked forward towards Snape and that stupid blindfold.  
  
"You know," she informed him." I could figure out where this island is anyway. If one put together the clues--"  
  
"I know you could, but I'd rather you didn't. Trust me. I wasn't joking when I said not knowing would be healthier for you. " He said gruffly. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around so he could fit the blindfold over her eyes. Blah, blah, blah, she mouthed snottily to the forest. Darkness once again.  
  
Something was thrust into her hands, and her hands scrambled to get a hold on her broomstick. "Snape?" She waited until she was sure he was listening, "Thanks for today."  
  
He didn't say anything to that and was silent until he told her once again to hold on because he was just about to kick off. She followed him and they were soaring up and up in no time.  
  
Now that she had time to sort through her thoughts, she realized she really didn't want to. It was too strange and bizarre. What the hell had happened today? It wasn't her doing. It was more like the island's doing, he slowly melted into a….a person. Maybe it was just going home for him had that effect, she pondered. It was a bummer he wasn't like that all the time, but at the same time, it kinda made her day more special, because she alone got to witness it. "Mwah-ha-ha!" She giggled evilly out loud.  
  
"You are so strange!" She heard, expecting it. "Yup..." and she agreed to it.  
  
They were silent the rest of the way back. Shifting uncomfortably, Georgie asked, feeling really self-conscious, "How much longer do you think it is?"  
  
"Perhaps 15 more minutes. Why?" She could feel the scrutiny in his voice.  
  
She grinned sheepishly, "Drank too many Diet Cokes."  
  
  
  
  
A/N-Holy Guacamole, I've got some lovely readers who are dears at reviewing-bless your hearts.   
Here's to them: Natasha, Kat, Blackletter, Helena Darjeeling, Andi, Magi, and Diablo Shinigami. I'll buy you all a drink! Once again The Smiths-I'm creative, eh? I'm maika'i and all, so be nice and keep reading the fluff I'm throwing out.  



	5. Chapter Five Tempers

Chapter Five--Tempers  
  
  
A/N: There's bit of harsh/colorful language. I warned you. If anyone's horrifically offended, I'll think about lightening it up for the kiddies. But probably not...  
  
  
  
  
As they landed in front of Hogwarts, Georgie hopped on one foot and then the other as Snape struggled with the knot. He frowned at it, finally got it loose and Georgie took off at a run for the castle leaving Snape with both of their brooms in his hand. He paused for a second looked around him briefly to make sure no one was watching, shook his head with a grimace then followed her inside.  
  
  
Minerva McGonaggall watched the entire thing from her window high up on in the castle wall. She was staring as if she couldn't believe what was in front of her eyes. She frowned; appearing a bit perplexed, then removed herself from the window and tried to forget the whole thing.  
  
  
They walked into the Great Hall together but didn't appear to be any friendlier than they used to be. Snape looked angry once more and Georgie seemed to ignore him and his fussiness. Normality is good, she grinned to herself sappily.   
  
  
  
After the meal, Georgie nervously followed Dumbledore and the four House Heads upstairs to the headmaster's office. When they were all seated Dumbledore began the informative meeting to reveal which classes Georgie would be attending. She bit her lip.   
  
He read off of a small piece of parchment, "You will be attending Herbology with Sprout, Defense against the Dark Arts with Lupin, Care of Magical Creatures, and Advanced Divination." She groaned inwardly at this last one. "It appears your two strongest subjects here will be Potions and Transfiguration, which I wish you to continue even at your advanced level. You will work closely with both Professors on independent study projects and assisting them with whatever else then need a helping hand with." She nodded at this-this is going to be interesting….  
  
He continued, interrupting her thoughts, "I must say you far exceeded my own expectations for you and from your school. I am very glad that you are here with us and I know you'll make a fine addition to our small school family." His eyes twinkled at her and she grinned widely back.  
  
They all sat a few more minutes going over the details and answering her preliminary questions, before Dumbledore dismissed them all as they were disturbing Fawkes the phoenix' sleep.  
  
  
  
Walking back to the dungeons with Snape, she was over flowing. "Oh, I'm excited. I can't wait for school to start so I can meet everyone. It'll be such fun, won't it?" He scowled and didn't say anything. "Where am I supposed to sit during meals when school starts up?" She wondered if she'd sit with the students or continue up with the teachers.  
  
"Most likely the teachers, though no one would stop you if you sat with the students either." Unless she sat with, say a Gryffindor. Stupid house distinctions only caused trouble and snobbery.  
  
Georgie initiated, "So, for your class, what did Dumbledore mean, 'help you out'? Does that mean be a teaching assistant of sorts?" She was to be a teaching assistant with Minerva and she was ecstatic about the opportunity.  
  
"I have no need for a teaching assistant." He spat. Ooh, touchy subject.  
  
"So what'll I do?"  
  
"Whatever I need you to."  
  
"Yes, Master," she replied, zombie-like. "Just promise me we can make some dangerous and highly illegal potions, or else it won't be much fun."  
  
"Promise." He said seriously, with a twinkle in his dark eyes.  
  
  
  
Georgie looked up from her class books and grinned as Snape walked into the lounge and looked over her shoulder to see what she was reading.  
  
"Already?" He asked, not in the least surprised.  
  
"Oh course! It's fascinating stuff! I need to know all I can, so when I graduate I can know all about magical herbs and fungi when I'm brewing butterbeers." She wisecracked.  
  
He ignored that and sat down, his own book in hand.  
  
"What are you reading?" She prodded, straining her neck to see the title.  
  
"Nothing…It's a Muggle psychology book. I borrowed it from Dumbledore." She nodded her head quite approvingly and looked down at her own pages.   
  
"You are just like Hermione Granger--always your nose in a book."  
  
"Oh, is she a student?" she asked excitedly. Snape had never volunteered information about his students before. She was all ears.  
  
"Yes, a fifth-year Gryffindor, a bit of a know-it-all, very eager, very smart." She was pleased that he compared her to someone like that. "She is friends with Potter," he said bitterly.  
  
"Oh Harry Potter?" She asked flatly. "He's in school now? Forgot about all that."  
  
Snape stared at her like she had five heads instead if the one. What?" She demanded nervously.   
  
"What? Did you forget to make a huge production over him, to congratulate him on his part in bringing down Voldemort? He is the boy who lived, you know." He said nastily.  
  
"Man, you're scaring me. Bring it down a notch." She said calmly. "I didn't make a big deal because I didn't see any reason too. He's a boy. There are millions of boys just like him. He lived--others live too. If his biggest claim is that his mom gave him powers to defeat a great wizard, kudos to her then. If he survived a few more attacks, good for him. He's lucky maybe even a cool and nice guy, but he's not god or anything, he's just a kid, with acne and crushes and final examinations." She ended with a shrug.  
  
Snape just stared at her, incredulous look on his twisted features.  
  
"Say something," She breathed quietly.  
  
"Fine. Since you won't, I will. I was once traveling on this bus in Egypt and I met a boy. He had crutches as both of his legs were missing. He told me he'd stepped on a landmine left over from a war and survived, but with one less leg. He then was hit by some terrorists' stray bullet, shredding the other leg. His parents were both killed by those some terrorists. He'd caught a fever and lost most of his eyesight. But that boy was the happiest most complete person. He didn't feel sorry for himself, or make a big deal out of how much he'd survived. And he's just a boy also. I called him Lucky and made him sit next to me on the bus," she laughed at that recollection.   
  
"I'll at some point meet this boy Harry Potter and see if he lives up to the heroism I saw in Lucky's life--I mean, by just going on--and with a smile to boot." Then pressing her luck perhaps, she went on, "But until I meet him, you can begin to tell me why it seems you hate him so much." She starred unwaveringly at him.  
  
"To make a long story short, he doesn't deserve the praise, he doesn't deserve to coddled. He should be taught to harden up because if he goes soft, he's as good as dead." He explained resolutely. "In addition his father--the famous and egotistic James Potter--played a trick on me that almost killed me when we were students here. He then turned around and saved my life. I owe it to him, however undeserving, to ensure that the boy continues to live."  
  
"How honorable." She said thoughtfully. "In a kinda screwed kinda way…"  
  
"Yeah, well you know," His eyes returned to his book. "Chivalrous and just…" He said bitingly.  
  
"Yup." She agreed with a smile and went back to her book.  
  
  
  
The next week Georgie was either found with a class book in her hand on the shore of the lake or in the lounge when the light failed her eyes. She tried taking one to dinner one night, but Snape lifted it out of her hands as she passed him in the doorway and threw it clear across the lounge and it landed softly on the couch. He had smiled and gestured, "After you." She had gotten the message.  
  
  
She and Hagrid were still frequenting the kitchens, so Georgie was almost never without her precious Diet Coke in her hand plus some other goodies. As a present, she had magically painted a picture of a Diet Coke can in pop-art style, like the Andy Warhol painting of a Campbell's Soup can. She had hung it on the kitchen wall, grinning stupidly when a few of the house-elves had been moved to tears.  
  
  
  
By Thursday night they were getting to be quite comfortable in sharing their rooms. It was becoming common for them to sit about the place and chat and bug each other until it could get quite late. When Georgie returned from her raid on the kitchens that night-goodies in hand-she slowed to a stop when she entered the room. Snape was sitting there staring off into la-la land and on her couch sat her guitar. She walked in, deposited the refreshments on the coffee table. Then looking to Snape, laughed, "Okay, I get the point." She took off her robes and through them into her darkened room and shut the door. Snape gave her an I-have-no-idea-what-you-are-insinuating look.  
  
She plopped down and got comfortable, cracked her fingers and burped loudly. He looked at her. "Already had one down there," she stuck her tongue out sheepishly. "No comments, from you punk. Or no Mrs. Nice guy."  
  
"I'd never…" trying to act shocked, then he stopped, "No that's not true. I would," He confessed. "And I would at every occasion I got. Never pass up an opportunity if I could help it…."  
  
"Got your point mean-man."  
  
She played a wordless song, then a few where she had to sing, but he had stopped throwing her looks every time her voice cracked after the third threat from her that she'd stop. He'd sat back and stretched out on the couch, looking very relaxed.  
  
The boy with the thorn in his side  
behind the hatred there lies  
a murderous desire for love.  
how can they look into my eyes  
and still they don't believe me?  
how can they hear me say those words  
and still they don't believe me?  
and if they don't believe me now  
will they ever believe me?  
  
  
She looked over at Snape and saw that his eyes were closed so he was probably asleep. She glanced at her watch. It was only 10--the night was still young, she grinned wickedly. Setting down the guitar quietly on the floor. She sighed and stretched out looking back at Snape, his arms were spread out long past his head as he was slumped up against the back of the plush couch. Man, he's too thin. I could totally crush his bones if I accidentally fell on him, she joked to herself, knowing that it so wasn't true.  
  
His long black robes ("You're such a freaking goth!") usually covered up almost every square inch of skin, he even colored once when she called him a puritan. Then she noticed his arms. Sleeves had fallen away to reveal up to his elbows. Something caught her eye and her eyes slowly grew wide in terror. He opened his eyes at that exact moment and started a little when he saw her looking so wildly at him.  
  
He had the mark on his left arm. The skull with the snake coming out of it's mouth, it was there--plain as day. She stood up and began to shake as she backed away from him. He sat up in alarm, tensely casting his eyes about him for what the reason for this was…  
  
"Oh my god…" she said just above a whisper. He jumped to his feet suddenly, and she lost it. Georgie opened her mouth and screamed bloody murder. Snape tried yelling above her "What is wrong with you?!" But she was hysterical by this point. She was shaking violently and seemed to be frightened out of her wits by the man standing in front of her. Still screaming, Snape took a step towards her, but she instantly had her wand in her hand., and he had followed suit before she could think of what to do next. Her wand hand was unsteady and her eyes never left his face. "You're a fucking Death Eater! What the hell!" She was yelling her lungs out at him. They stood only a few paces away from each other, both wands pointing at the other. Georgie was livid, her brown face screwed up in rage and Snape's was purple as he fought to keep himself under control as well. "You're a Death Eater! What are you going to do kill me?! Betray us all to Voldemort?" Snape just kept his eyes calmly on her shaking wand. He found that more alarming than her hysterics.  
  
"Georgie, Let me just explain."  
  
"No fucking way. How can I trust you--I don't even know who you are!"  
  
Georgie!" He yelled impatiently.  
  
"Shut-up!" She screamed back. It only got worse from there.  
  
  
  
McGonagall was up in Dumbledore's office playing chess against him, when the old man suddenly sat up and got a far off look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" She asked anxiously.   
  
"They're going to kill each other in the dungeons. Come. We must go now," He spoke with some urgency so McGonagall leapt to her feet and they both raced down to the bottom of the castle as fast as they could. McGonagall was used to Albus' intuitions and trusted them. The raised voices met their ears while they were still a long way off. They exchanged a dire look, and ran even faster.  
  
  
  
"Georgie, I didn't lie. Now be reasonable!"  
  
"No, why should I?" She shrieked. "The guy next to me on the couch, sleeping without a care in the world is a nasty-ass bastard from HELL!" Her voice was straining from the yelling.  
  
Snape tried to take a step forward, but she rose her wand warningly and stared daggers at him. "You killer, Murderer! How can you sleep!" You're a Death Eater, you joined HIS side?!" She shook her head unbelievingly.  
  
He was worrying, now, she seemed to be ranting more and more disconnectedly. He figured he'd have to do something to stop her long enough to get the wand away from her-stun her or something. He kept his eyes open for the chance. Still not having lost her fury, she went on, "You're the bad guy! I can't believe it!" She bit her lip and paused, "Well maybe I can--I can believe anything now! Try me!"  
  
"I'm not anymore--"  
  
"Don't give me that--why the hell should I listen you! You've got the mark! You never told me, of course! I know what you are and what you did!" She felt hot and sick to her stomach, like her world was dropping out from under her.  
  
"I freaking trusted you, thought you were fun, now look what happens! I could kill you right now you asshole!" She yelled passionately. His eyes widened at this and his mind reeled. If he was going to do something, now might be his only chance.  
  
He raised his wand and bellowed "Stupefy!" but she'd raised her wand at the same moment and had managed to get off a screaming defensive, "Reducto!" before being blasted back against the wall into an unconscious heap. Snape himself flew forcibly into the opposite wall and knocked his head quite hard against the wall. He felt a trickle of blood on the back of his neck. He was alive--maybe some broken ribs--nothing uncommon or something he couldn't handle, but he didn't want to stand up just yet. He felt drained.  
  
"Good Heavens!" Snape looked up to see Dumbledore and McGonagall jump back at the sight of the two crumpled people. "You're too late," Snape informed and looked up at them. "Oh my," McGonagall covered her mouth with her hands. "You don't mean…"   
  
"No," he said dryly. "She's unconscious." He tried to stand up, but winced at the pain and collapsed back down. "She fights hard." He said without humor.  
  
Dumbledore turned to McGonagall and instructed her to get Madam Pomfrey and bring two stretchers with her. She turned and immediately left.  
  
Dumbledore leaned against the back of the couch and asked quietly, "What happened?" Coming from anyone other than Dumbledore right then Snape would have bit their head off, but Dumbledore was the best of men, and probably one of the closest friends in his life. He sighed. "She saw my arm." Dumbledore nodded understandingly. "Then what happened?"   
  
"She went ballistic. She started screaming and raving like a madwoman, saying I lied to her--how could she trust me, that I was a murderer…." His voice dropped off. "She was hysterical, screaming that she was going to kill me, so I cast Stupefy at the same time that she sent a Reductor my way. A good one too," he tried to smile, but it didn't come. He looked away quickly.  
  
"Severus, we all know the real you--that you are no murderer. You saw the right thing to do and you changed your allegiances. You were never one of them--your heart isn't that way--we all see that now. I will vouch for you with my dying breath if I must. It's the truth. She will recognize the truth for what it is--give it time."  
  
"Should I have told her?" Snape wondered, more to himself than Dumbledore.  
  
After a few moments, Dumbledore laid a hand on his friend's shoulder and reasoned, "Then or now: the reaction most likely would have been the same, with the same tempers behind it. For my part, I think you were right in letting her get to know the real you before she found out. It'll make the healing period shorter." Snape didn't look like her believed this.  
  
On hearing McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey approaching the room, he explained "You're to stay in the hospital overnight--I mean it Severus. What use will you be to me with a bleeding head? Rest. And make sure she does the same," he established forcefully. "I'll speak to her when she wakes up." And with that Dumbledore left.  
  
  
  
  
A/N-Ha, forgive me for I have sinned. Dirty words--marvelous, bloody marvelous. I rather relish violence--you'll see more of it I think. The Smiths once again. Please review and all that….  



	6. Chapter Six Morning After

Chapter Six--Morning After  
  
  
Later, in the hospital ward, Snape wasn't sleeping. The lights were out and it was nearly black except for the moonlight drifting in through the large widows. Georgie was in the next bed over, still knocked out. But a few hours ago he'd heard her breathing become deeper and then turn to her light snores, so at least she was sleeping.  
  
Snape felt…. Bad. Horrible. Nauseatingly so. He'd never cast a spell like that on someone he considered a friend. He thought hard. Yes, he supposed that she was his friend-she should be a friend if they were to be spending the year down there. And goodness knows he had few enough friends in his life. He logically realized that he had taken the best course of action in that situation, but he still felt nasty thinking about it. He'd slammed an innocent young girl into a wall and knocked her out. He turned his blank face to the ceiling, trying to rack his brain for a different spell-one that would have ended this in a better way. But, he couldn't think of anything. It had been the most effective and expedient spell. So why did he feel like this…?  
  
  
  
His entire body stiffened as he heard Georgie shift in her bed. Eyes open and alert he watched as she slowly, and from the looks of her strained movements, painfully, dragged herself to the bathroom and in a few minutes dragged herself back. He heard her pull the covers back over herself. He wondered if she hadn't realized that he was there. Perhaps if she knew, she would've started back in on him again. Snape had asked for her wand to be kept from her, but Madam Pomfrey insisted she have access to it, so it lay on her night table. She wasn't informed of all of the details yet, so that made sense.   
  
But by tomorrow morning all of the staff would know. Somehow everyone knew everything about everyone here, he remembered bitterly. He wasn't looking forward to their questions.  
  
His thinking ceased as he held his breath to hear a sound coming from across the room. His stomach fell out from under him as he realized that she was quietly whimpering. He wondered if she were in pain, or if she were just overwhelmed by the evening's revelations. Snape had heard many people cry--he'd even made a fair lot of people cry. But he'd never felt more directly responsible than he did right then. He hardened his face and tried to block the sound and the worry.  
  
  
  
The morning came quickly. Snape hadn't slept a wink of sleep, but had waited for the dawn so he could return to his own bedchamber. When Georgie awoke, it took a moment for eyes to adjust to the light and she immediately grabbed her head as sharp pains shot through forehead.   
  
"Here," She didn't jump for surprise for once, but groggily, looked over to see Dumbledore extending to her a small cup. "Painkillers." He explained simply.  
  
She accepted it with a half-smile and a nod of thanks, before swallowing the bitter stuff. "Yeack…"She gagged. "Good stuff…"  
  
Dumbledore was seated on the bed that Snape slept in last night, but it was empty now. Without breaking her gaze with Dumbledore, she queried, "Where's Snape?"   
  
"He wanted to sleep in his own bed, and thought it'd be best to leave you alone for awhile." Georgie nodded agreeing with the decision to stay out of her way.  
  
Might as well jump in: "So did he tell you what happened?" She asked, expressionless.  
  
The headmaster nodded. So now what? She asked herself bitterly. She knew what was going to happen. They'd probably both get in trouble, and now Dumbledore was probably here to defend his friend or his actions, or some other such crap. She saw the he was about to share something of importance with her, he seemed to be testing the air between them for the right time.  
  
"So what did you want to tell me about Severus?" She prompted, might as well get it over with.   
  
It was obvious when she examined it now. Dumbledore and the rest of the staff had to have known what he was-what he used to be. And if there were any question of his involvement he wouldn't be there. And he had tried to explain, but really? What had he expected her to act like? Most of the known world would piss themselves just at the name of Voldemort, and she got to find out her friend that she was sharing rooms with was a follower? Rather, had been a follower. She was beyond bitter.  
  
Dumbledore grinned at her assumption, confirming that that was indeed why he was there.  
  
The old gray wizard spoke in fond tones about the young man that showed up one rainy night begging to be shown into his old headmaster's office. Snape spilled everything about how he'd been a fool for joining the ranks of Voldemort, citing the desire to be part of something and to have power. Snape had then admitted that he just couldn't do it, he wasn't that cold and ruthless, and that they would kill him if he tried to leave. The headmaster had made him take Veritaserum, a strong truth potion to confirm his loyalties. Snape later had been offered a job at Hogwarts partly as a way to keep him alive, but also partly as a way for Snape to do good works for the Ministry without the fellow Death Eaters finding out. Later that year, Snape turned spy for the Ministry and for Dumbledore-and he was a cunning and useful spy at that. The old man acknowledged Snape made potions for the Dark Lord that sometimes weren't as potent as they could have been. At first he was reckless--he seemed to have a death-wish, but the more Dumbledore and Severus got to know each other, they developed a friendship and soon Snape realized he owed it to the man who saved his life to stay alive and finish this work.  
  
Snape hates Voldemort more than anyone else on this earth-more than himself, which is a large hate. He blames himself for being so swept away and blind-for not being on the right side from the beginning. He saw too many good witches and wizards swept down during those days, his conscience is very heavy indeed--potions he'd made that had been used, times he'd been forced to turn his back. Still, He won't rest until Voldemort has fallen for good.  
  
George listened in silence trying to take all this in. "Is he still a spy now?" She whispered.  
  
Dumbledore considered for a moment, then answered in the affirmative. That explained a lot: His coming back late at night with that gash on his head. She even realized that the blindfolded flight made sense now. Her heart felt for him. Poor dude, she pitied as only she could.  
  
"What could have made him become a Death Eater though?" She demanded, her anger returning.  
  
Dumbledore, sighed. "So many reasons for it as there are against it. In Severus' case he wanted to belong. He had some rough edges in school, and being in Slytherin, there were a lot of pressures on him. That and he hasn't the strong family and friend support that would have kept him from joining something as terrible as that." She looked down at her hands.  
  
"What am I supposed to do now? I can't just waltz in give him a hug and say, 'no problem,' and act as if none of this ever happened." She shook her head violently. She felt hopelessly sad. Was this the end?  
  
"Headmaster, can I tell you something? It has to be just between you and me. I know you and Severus are friends and all, but don't tell him." Her eyes took on a far off look. "I had a brother when I was younger. He was almost 12 years older than I was, yet I idolized everything he did--he could do no wrong in my eyes. The year before I was to go to a wizarding school he was killed by a Death Eater--tortured for hours before that, and he wasn't even the one they were after in the first place. He didn't even do anything wrong…" She sniffled. "I hate Death Eaters so much." She growled through clenched teeth with eyes flashing.  
  
"A natural and wise sentiment. But Severus isn't a Death Eater. In fact I believe he may hate them just as much or more than you. He also has his reasons for this hatred." She bit her lip at this comment and turned to look out the window.  
  
"So what do I do now?" She asked the window.  
  
"He's a good man. And you are a good woman. What you had will return to you, I have no doubt of that, " she looked at him unbelievingly. "You're both on the same side. It'll hurt you both if you hold grudges too long. Give it time. You'll both come around." He smiled and patted her knee.  
  
When he had left, Georgie turned over on her side and whispered, "You idiot Severus…" and began to weep silently all over again.  
  
  
  
  
  
Snape would have scoffed at the thought of him 'hiding' from anything, least of all a mere girl. Snape was avoiding her purposely, so he was hiding out in the staff room--a room completely lacking in comfort and privacy.   
  
He'd gone to breakfast that morning and arrived to many compassionate looks sent his way. He glared at them coldly narrowing his eyes. What business was it of theirs? He stiffly marched to his chair by Dumbledore's side and slammed down into it.   
  
"Good morning Severus." The old man welcomed him. "How are you doing?"  
  
Snape just growled "Good morning Albus," and chose to ignore the question. Dumbledore cautiously didn't persist. And so Snape ate his food in silence and wasn't approached by the other staff.  
  
The students were arriving that Sunday night--just two more days-by the Hogwarts Express. The house-elves were busy stocking the kitchens for the hundreds of students and Hagrid was out in his garden most mornings feeding something which was kept covered, though it seemed to be a man-sized gilded cage.  
  
That afternoon, when she was allowed to return to her room, she dreaded seeing Snape. But she needn't have worried as she sneaked inside and discovered that he was nowhere to be found.  
  
  
  
Snape was avoiding Georgie, and she was avoiding him. Georgie hadn't realized how much time she'd been spending with him--almost every evening and a lot of time during the day. She found she didn't know what to do to fill all her spare time. But perhaps this was good-it showed her how she was falling into a habit of dependency, and she hated to think that she depended on anyone else for anything-especially for her amusement.  
  
She took to visiting Hagrid, Minerva and even Professor Lupin--the reclusive teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts--a class she would be attending fully this year. Lupin was a quiet and gentlemanly man, and her conversations with him were delightful. He had a sort of dreamy way about him--he seemed almost delicate or frail, but he was in truth he was quite strong. She was surprised to find that he was the same age as Snape--they'd been in the same year actually. That and he looked rather worn out.  
  
She was sitting across the fire from him before dinner in a large, overstuffed armchair in the lounge room he shared with Professor Sprout and Madam Hooch. Funny, she thought glancing around, she hardly ever saw Hooch--wonder where she's always getting off to?  
  
Lupin was recounting a story about a practical joke his childhood friend Sirius Black (yes, THE Sirius Black) had pulled on the caretaker back when they were in school. It involved casting a spell that made flowers grow out of a person's ears every time they were in the presence of a person they had a crush on. The caretaker apparently was secretly pinning for the new young Professor McGonagall, the whole school had been buzzing with that one for simply months.  
  
Georgie looked, up absently and asked, "Did you know Snape back then?" Lupin's smile vanished.  
  
"Yes. He and James Potter were vicious enemies. He was a greasy, gangly, nosy child. Hardly ever smiled. Felt kind of bad for him for awhile. But he could defend himself and certainly didn't need my pity." He laughed bitterly.  
  
She looked down into her hands, "Yeah, I've seen the bastard defend himself."  
  
Lupin went on. "Sirius played a joke on him one year--a nasty one too, that would have killed Severus, if it weren't for James' stepping in. I think the life-debt sat uneasily with Snape. It changed him from then on, though…"  
  
"Georgie," He changed his tone. "I don't want you to think that I'm not being supportive of you, or defending anyone's actions. I just want you to consider your anger carefully. I don't blame you in the least for your reaction last night. We sometimes forget that he still has that ugly thing on his arm. We've known for years, and Snape's given us reasons and proof enough to prove his loyalty."  
  
"But, as school will start on Monday, it will be awkward and tedious to try and avoid each other and ever attend a class with him when you're not speaking. Not to mention having to see each other every evening."  
  
"I spent the morning talking with him about this among other things, but he's stubborn. He's not used to friends, or sharing his secrets with anyone. He thinks he's lost his chance and sees no reason to hold out hope that you two can make amends. He's a sort of glass-is-half-empty sort of man. I however," he grinned lightly, "Believe that you can patch things up. He's got secrets, and you've got secrets too. We all do. That's where friends are useful-for the sharing of secrets and trusting in them."  
  
"Talk to him. It'll work out. I promise." He rolled up his sleeves on his fine new robes. He'd come into some money from the death of a rich aunt and he wore somber, but nice robes. They sort of reflected him in a way.  
  
"You know," Georgie eyed him. "You're like the third person in like two days who's tried to get me to make up with Snape. He's pathetic, can't he make up with me? I mean Geesh, get some guts, Potion Master. Do I have to do everything here?!" She rolled her eyes with a smile to match his own.   
  
Lupin rolled his eyes too. "I apologize that you've heard it so many times. As you no doubt have realized secrets don't stay secrets here for long and everyone's interested in the business of everyone else--be that good or bad. I think everyone just wants both of you to hurry up, and be friends again, and wants to help in anyway that they can. PLUS…we're all so horribly sick of Snape haunting the teacher's lounge at night and stalking about slamming doors and being fifty-times nastier than he ever was. He's my friend, but he's also so tragic…" He said melodramatically. Making Georgie laugh despite herself  
  
"I hate doing the instigating in these sort of things," she nearly whined to Lupin. "But if he's as far lost as you say he is, he's not going to bother to make himself uncomfortable…."  
  
Lupin leaned forward and confided, "I think you both are good for each other. He mellows you and you humanize him. The best friendships are those when they don't try and change each other purposely for the better, but ones in which it happens naturally." She nodded at this.  
  
"Aw, can't you go down and tell Snape for me?! I don't wannnaaaaaa…" She mocked weeping. Pouting and sticking her lower lip out until she looked like a baby monkey.  
  
"You can do it. I'd venture to guess this isn't the nuttiest thing you've ever done. If you've somehow managed to survive through your childhood unscathed, you can do this without getting singed."  
  
"-However, maybe I should retract that. If that was a typical example of how you and Severus are going to fight, maybe I should stock up on burn salve before you attempt anything big. Alert Madam Pomrey perhaps…"  
  
"Ha. Funny." She said flatly and growled.  
  
"You even sound like him." He pointed out.  
  
"Remus, I'm going to leave…" She threatened.  
  
"Actually, after the shock wore off when we all heard about your, er, a-hem, argument, I sort of laughed at your situation." Georgie started at him like he was insane.  
  
"No really, I thought it was cute. My parents used to fight like that. My mum'd magic plates at my dad's head while my dad would try and stun her with a freeze spell. It wasn't really that awful. They never hurt each other, just liked to put up a little bit of an energetic fight every now and then," He chuckled to himself.  
  
"Remus, I'm insulted. I'm leaving…" She said sarcastically and stood up feigning anger.  
  
"Georgie-" He tried to stop her.  
  
She turned around grinning. "I'm joking! But I really do have to go. Maybe I'll catch up with ya at dinner." And with that she let herself out.  
  
  
  
She let herself into the lounge looking for Snape. Her heart was beating wildly, like when she was about to do something illegal. She glanced around but he wasn't there. She even knocked on his door, it was a foreign sensation for her to be hanging around outside his door. "Snape?" She called through the door. No answer.  
  
Oh well, she'd try later. But no hurry, she thought a bit wickedly to herself. She liked knowing that she had the power to ease his mind, but also liked knowing that he didn't know that she was going to do it. She could put it off for a while more--let him suffer. And with that she hurried back out the door and up to the Great Hall even though the meal wouldn't start for 20 more minutes.  
  
  
  
Dumbledore ambled slowly down the front staircase and made a beeline for the open doors into the Great Hall. He was about to reach the towering doors, when a door burst open at his right hand and Georgie jumped out from a closet with her arms above her head and her fangs barred.   
  
"I vant to suck your blood!" She gushed in a false accent.  
  
"Oh! You gave me a fright--oh, so you're a vampire now. When did this all come about?"  
  
"Snape bit me." She said matter-of-factly, then she removed her plastic fangs. "See? Nifty fun things." She grinned broadly as they both advanced into the Great Hall.  
  
"Oh, what fun. I wish I had a pair--well maybe even two. One for staying in, and one for going out. Night on the town and all that….Discos…." He murmured happily.   
  
What an odd man, Georgie's mind raced. "I'll get you a pair or two," Georgie offered. "They're fun and they don't cost much at all. These're Muggle things. I love toys…"  
  
"You look better." He smiled a knowing sort of smile--obviously not referring to her teeth.  
  
"I can't stay angry for very long, I try and try, it just doesn't seem to last--no backbone at all in matters like these…" She laughed heartily.  
  
"Good to hear it."  
  
  
"Don't tell anyone else I have them in okay?" She said as she popped them back into her mouth and jammed her thumb up into her mouth to secure the piece. She hopped over to where Sprout and Professor Vector were sitting, arms out--stretched before her.  
  
"I think she's confused between a zombie or a mummy rather than a vampire. I guess I should be glad she's never met a real vampire to compare movements with, but still…." He sniggered as McGonagall sat down beside him.  
  
"Perhaps she hit her head harder than we thought…." Offered up the matronly lady. "But she seems much happier tonight. I don't think we needed to worry so about her and their holding grudges. They'll be friends again by the end of the night."  
  
Looking around the table at the staff who were now all gathered, she leaned close to Dumbledore, "Albus? Where's Snape?"  
  
Without returning her gaze, he responded simply, "Out."  
  
But she seemed to understand some hidden meaning because she nodded and accosted a basket of dinner rolls.  
  
  
  
Georgie noticed that he didn't show up for dinner. She thought amusedly that if he were all locked up in his room ignoring her, she'd kick his door in and then kick his ass, she thought with satisfaction. That's what Snape really needed-a good whooping. She felt like fighting.  
  
Hagrid was poking her and she started poking him, "Hagrid, I wonder what'd happen if you put skele-grow in someone's food?"  
  
"Dunno, maybe grow an arm bone outta their stomach."  
  
"Here, shake hands with me…no wait, my hand's down here you nut!" She pantomimed.  
  
Suddenly a crash of thunder and a bolt of lightning lit up the great hall and everyone present stopped their conversation and looked up to the enchanted ceiling.  
  
Flitwick squeaked, "My, I wouldn't want to be out in a night like tonight." The rest of the table silently agreed. It was like an ominous sign, thought Georgie and shuddered, hoping she wasn't turning superstitious.  
  
  
After dinner, Georgie headed directly back for the dungeons and their study-lounge room. She knocked at Snape's door calling out threats and swearing profusely. If he were there she was pretty sure he would've come out and smacked her up side the head for being that annoying. Where was he? She left their rooms and even walked to his classroom and only to find he wasn't there either. That room gave her the creeps, so she hurried back to her own comfortable rooms.  
  
She sat on the couch and lit a roaring magical fire, and tapped her foot as she watched the seconds tick by on her watch. She ran to her room and came back with a book in hand, it was light fare, but she couldn't concentrate. The thunder and lightning had indeed been the signal for the start of a terrible storm. It was churning and blowing up something awful outside. She kept wandering over to press her nose against the glass. She was acting all worried, but she shouldn't worry. He was more than capable of taking care of himself, she thought with a shudder of remembrance.  
  
She turned on her music but played it rather quietly and chose songs that fit the stormy mood of the weather and of her moodiness. She didn't sing along. She sat by the fire on the floor and stared off into space before rising to her feet. "If I don't do something I'm going to go mad." She spoke to herself out-loud as she burst out the door and through the Slytherin Common room to the hallway outside.   
  
Georgie stood in the middle of the doorway after the wall slid back into place, and she looked around as if searching for inspiration on how to waste time. She took a few steps forward and saw a few feet in front of her the semi-transparent unsmiling ghost of a man, The Bloody Baron. He was watching her. She stepped forward bravely and spoke, "Good Evening, Baron. How are you doing today?"  
  
"Same as yesterday," he informed her unfeelingly.  
  
"Oh." She said. Unsure what to say next. "Have you seen Professor Snape tonight?" It stood to reason that if he had been camped out in front of this door, as it seems he might have been, that he would have had to see something.  
  
"No. How could I?" He asked her. Uh, she thought, is he being hypothetical or something? Is he blind during storms or something, and I'm being insensitive to his ghostly feelings. "Seeing as he left at lunchtime-used the fireplace." He finished. Their fireplace was one of only two in all of Hogwarts that could--at times--be connected and disconnected to the Floo Network.  
  
He looked to be enjoying her confused look, but in no way helped to alleviate the bewilderment. After a moment, he excused himself and glided away.  
  
  
Georgie could have hit herself. Here she was, worrying over him all day--well, alternating between being pissed and worrying--and he's not even here! I'm such a sap, a complete idiot. He's probably off buying crap in Diagon Alley or something, I'm such a dork! She wondered if she could hit herself well-enough. Maybe she'd ask a house-elf to do it for her--they're always doing it to themselves, maybe they'd whack her if she asked nicely. She headed off to the kitchens, thinking punishment and junk food awaits me down there. Boredom's all that's up here.  
  
  
The house-elves as it turned out would not lay a hand on Georgie, but she wasn't surprised, she hadn't really expected them to and she would've been highly amused if they'd conceded to do it.  
  
  
  
  
A/N--Ha! Georgie's a bag of fun. R/R still. Thanks all. Ch. Seven's my fave so far--so read on!  
  



	7. Chapter Seven Making Up

Chapter Seven--Making Up  
  
  
  
A few hours later Georgie and 3 other house-elves were playing poker by the fire as they all sat around chatting and drinking butterbeers. Really, there wasn't hardly any alcohol in it-hell, children could drink it! But the house-elves were strongly affected by it obviously by the looks of the unconscious ones under the table.   
  
Georgie had been telling them all about her situation with Snape and they were very sympathetic and encouraging, they kept bringing her Diet Cokes and chocolates. "You guys are the best," she beamed warmly at all of them. She felt heaps better than she did…she looked at her watch-it was midnight?! She started. "Whoa!" She winked, "It's pretty late, I guess I'd better go to sleep now. Thank you guys all! I've had a lovely evening in your company." They bowed and cried and waved as one put a bundle of Cokes and food in her hand and led her to the door.  
  
  
  
She half-expected Snape to be sitting in his couch, but he wasn't and she admitted only to herself that she was a little disappointed. She took up her book once more and forced herself to read some of it. The rain was coming down now in sheets and the thunder shook the whole castle and caused her entire body to shiver. She stood up and walked to her room and closed the door after her. She changed into her long flannel nightgown. It was ugly-almost nappy, quite long and gray, nothing like the sexy lingerie found at Muggle department stores these days, so she wasn't ashamed to wear it in front of others. She grabbed the spare blanket from the foot of her bed and pulled on a pair of socks. Hopping back out just to flop back on her couch, she wrapped the ratty thing around her shoulders, took aim at the fireplace to stoke it a bit, then settled back with her book, much more comfortable this time.  
  
Still the only sound she heard were the constant rolls of thunder outside and the wind rattling the old windowpanes. She heard a low pop coming from the fireplace and Georgie looked up but she saw nothing. She frowned slightly at this, and turned back to her book. But a few seconds later she held her hand up and whispered "Petrificus Totalus," aiming at the walkway behind the couches along the wall that ran to their bedrooms. She smiled cleverly to herself and slowly and determinedly set her book down and lifted her eyes to the empty space.  
  
"Snape? Sorry I had to do that, but you weren't being fair. I wanted to talk to you, and I can't if you're invisible, so stay put for a second…" She added under her breath, "Not as if you had a choice…"  
  
She hopped around to the couch she thought he was behind and did indeed hear a very slight low breathing so she imagined she was looking into his face. "I don't give a rat's ass what you did, 'cuz you're not like that anymore-I know that now." She said with feeling. "My family is changed forever because of a loss brought about by a Death Eater. I kinda freaked out about it. I just wanted to tell you that and I'm sorry I cracked your head on the wall, though I wish I could've seen the surprise in your face when you realized I'd gotten it off…" She chuckled. "So come on, are we going to be cool again, and take over the world, or am I going to have to blast you to hell again?"  
  
She muttered "Finite Incantem" under her breath and waited a moment. Slowly, Snape appeared out from under an invisibility cloak. "You were speaking to my left shoulder the entire time…" He said expressionless.  
  
"Sit," Georgie barked and sat back down and awaited him. He sighed and followed her around, he started for his couch across from her, but she stopped him, "No. Here." She pointed next to her. Yeah, she thought to herself, unexpected even from me, but who the hell cares? He stopped for a second and looked at the spot next to her, then back at her peculiarly. Then he joined her but sat as far from her as possible.   
  
She would have smiled at this, but she couldn't right now. Snape prude-ism, for gosh sakes, she wasn't gonna jump him!  
  
"Well?" She prompted almost angrily. She wanted him to talk about this.   
  
He cleared his throat, "I'm not sure what are the right words to say, so I'll just say what I'm thinking. I believe I acted right in not alarming you in the beginning--you'd have been prejudiced towards me I'm sure of it, and you never would have given anything a chance. I believe that especially now that I've seen how you did eventually react. I think it was bound to happen sooner or later. But I'm not one of them!" His eyes glowed passionately. "I hate them, and I hate myself even more for joining them. There's not a day I don't wish I could take it all back…"  
  
Georgie put her hand on his wet shoulders and stopped his speaking, forcing him to look at her. "Cool, that's all I wanted to hear: No more of this. Neither of us are irreproachable. I just wanted to totally be convinced that you're not one of them, and I am." She smiled at his expression at this. "You've got a lot of people defending you here you know."  
  
She turned serious again, "So tell me…." Oh, here it comes, thought Snape. "How far did I really send you flying?" She grinned wickedly. He perked up at that and remarked, "A good 15 feet."   
  
"Excellent," She looked awfully pleased with herself. "I'm such a stud muffin…" She sighed like one in love with herself. "Greek God!" She shouted and flexed her arms like a bodybuilder.  
  
Snape rolled his eyes, and she laughed right in his face, "HA!" Snape put out his hand and did something he'd never done before. He set his hand down on her frizzy-curly head and patted her head, messing up her hair. "Hey!" But she thought the gesture was very kindly meant. She was pleased and grinned sappily at him and her smiled genuinely at her. Back to normal she smiled, as she slammed her elbow into his ribcage. She jumped up onto her feet standing atop the couch.  
  
Snape looked up and narrowed his eyes at her standing above him. "What on earth are you wearing?" She stopped and looked down at her nightgown. "What's the matter with it?" She pouted.  
  
"It's flannel."  
  
"That's one point to Snape for pointing out the hideously obvious. Point being?" She asked sweetly.  
  
"Didn't expect flannel." He scowled.  
  
"I'm wearing boxers underneath. What, you sleep in metal?" She accused, while secretly behind her back, her hand secured a couch cushion. "Kinky." She challenged.   
  
He never saw what hit him. Georgie squealed and leapt across to the other couch avoiding the floor. Snape shook his head and stood up looking drained of color-even his lips were white. She clutched the pillow and stuck her tongue out at him. "You were asking for it." She pointed out.  
  
He walked right up to her and put his face in her face. "Yeah, I was." Whack. Georgie's head got knocked to the side be a pillow. He grinned.   
  
"You mother plucker! You had teeth and you never told me!" She whooped and swung her arms up and over her head and tore off after Snape who was trying to get away. "Nuh-uh, I don't think so PUNK!"  
  
She clobbered him repeatedly in the face. "Ha, a chick's kicking your ass. You fight like a candy ass!"  
  
He straightened out and took a few steps backwards. "Excuse me? I try never to beat on girls."  
  
Georgie's face clouded over, "Well you'd better make an exception fast 'cuz I'm not too happy after that last comment." She fumed. She glared and took off running straight for him ending in a flying leap straight at him. She bowled him completely over and they rolled for a few seconds, before she managed to jump on top of him and flip him over onto his stomach. She sat on his back and grabbed both of his hands in one of hers and brought them up towards his neck, twisting them painfully. "Ow, ow, ow, ow."   
  
"You deserve it," she hissed in his ear. She held up her hand a few inches from his back and growled "Rictusempra," then sat back as he wriggled and convulsed underneath her.   
  
"Ah, that tickles!" He gasped.  
  
"Yup," she replied uncaringly. She examined the fingernails of her free hand.  
  
Snape was yelping and guffawing and bellowing in laughter as the Tickling Charm went to work on him. She'd never heard him laugh so much. Pity it wasn't brought on naturally.  
  
  
"Ah! Haaaa! Georgie!" He chuckled, "not fair! Uncle! Uncle!"  
  
"Who's Uncle? Your Uncle? What about him? I'm afraid Severus I've never met the man, but I'm sure he's a cool guy…"  
  
"Georgie!"  
  
"Oh, damnit. Fine, I'm turning soft," she growled to herself as she performed the counterspell.  
  
"Thank you." He gasped still smiling. "Wand-less too, impressive."  
  
She backhanded him lightly to the head with her spare hand. "That was not cool you know."  
  
"I know," He admitted. "I said it to get your back up."  
  
"Cocky Bastard!" She exclaimed laughing. "Well at least I get the better of you. I'm king of the mountain!" She hooted. "Silly little me holding a grown man down. Ha ha ha!" She rubbed it in.  
  
"Hey Georgie?" Snape asked quietly getting her attention.   
  
"What?" She pondered the change in his voice.  
  
"Do you really think a spy for the ministry could be taken down by only one 21 year old female?"   
  
Her mouth fell open as she labored to comprehend what he was saying, but before she got there, Snape had twisted underneath her, and wrenched his arms away from her. Her face lit up with the horror that he was gonna smack her or something. Instead he grabbed both of her shoulders and threw all of his weight into throwing her back down to the ground.   
  
He was hovering above her, his arms locked into being straight. He grinned evilly. "King of the mountain? How quaint."  
  
She scrunched up her face and pushed into his elbows causing them to buckle and he fell on her, as she scrambled to flip him and jump on top. But this time he wasn't going so willingly. She tried to scurry away, but he grabbed her leg and started pulling her back towards him-she was sliding on the floor backwards. "God this must look stupid." She pointed out aloud, laughing as she was dragged to her feet.  
  
"Don't care." He muttered as he reached around to grab her from behind. He then held her up by her neck and shoulders with one long arm, and walked forward with her so that her legs lost their footing and dragged behind her.   
  
"Humph…Ack!" She screeched as she flailed in the air. She took a hard step backwards and caught him off-guard. She then turned into him and kneed him in the side. "Booger butt!"  
  
She ran behind him as he was doubled over and leapt onto his back, locking her arms tightly around his neck. He stood up and gagged.   
  
"Wow, I'm so tall now! Hey, look! I think I can see my house from here!"  
  
She picked up a strand of his greasy black hair and set it down disgustedly, "You really need a better conditioner-split ends everywhere!" She mimicked prissily.  
  
He had regained himself and he slowly backed up into a wall crushing her, "Yee-ow!" She loosened her grip momentarily, but it was all the opening Snape was looking for. He reached back over one shoulder with both hands and dragged Georgie over his shoulder and flipped her lightly onto the ground, so she landed on her back.  
  
The breath had been knocked out of her, and she closed her eyes and winced for a few moments, before trying to move again-to get out of harm's way. When she looked up, Snape was towering over her, "Man, you're tall."  
  
"Obviously," He snarled. He stepped one leg over her sprawled body, and sat down on her stomach.   
  
"You know I could seriously hurt you in that position," she smirked up at him.   
  
"But you won't." He smiled insipidly back at her. He leaned forward and using both hands, pushed both shoulders down into the carpet and locked his arms straight. She struggled, but really couldn't move, so she resigned herself to digging her fingernails into his calves.   
  
"You're such a brat." He threw out at her.   
  
"Yeah, well you're bitch."  
  
His eyes widened at that and he seemed amused. "Me?" He heaved breathlessly. He leaned even further until he was uncomfortably close to her face. She felt she really ought to turn her head away or something. He lifted his hands and promptly replaced them with a single forearm across her collarbone bearing his whole weight behind it. He then reached up to her face and pinched her nose.  
  
"Oowwww…" She screamed loudly. "I've got a sensitive nose! You jerk!" She tried again in vain to get to him, frustration, anger and amusement all in her eyes.  
  
He was still laughing in her face, a natural all-out laugh. And if she weren't trying to claw his eyes out she would have joined him it was so contagious.  
  
Suddenly they both looked up in alarm as a voice broke in, "So does this mean you two are speaking again?"  
  
Dumbledore was seated quietly on the couch only a few steps away. How is it neither of them had noticed him coming in?  
  
Snape jumped up and his face turned a livid shade of purple, but he recovered quickly. "Ah, yes, Good Evening Albus." Georgie followed soon scrambling to her feet out of breath, "Oh yes, Good Evening Dumbledore." She smiled. But on the inside she wanted to sink into the floor. What would he think of them? Rolling on the floor--so close?! Yicky. This could be bad. She really wished some giant creature would jump through their dungeon floor and tunnel her away from all of this embarrassment.  
  
Snape sat down next to the Headmaster and he nodded his head at her in the direction of the other couch. She sat gingerly down and remained silence. She didn't trust her own voice yet.  
  
Dumbledore began again, "I'm glad you too are such good neighbors that you can play together--and my goodness, Severus! I can't remember the last time I've heard you laughing so much."  
  
"Well, I had assistance." His eyes flashed in her direction pointedly. She just grinned back defiantly and shrugged at him.  
  
Snape started to get to the question the both wanted answered, "We didn't hear you come in Albus…"  
  
"Oh, well I put an alarm on to tell me when you would be returning here. It went off as soon as you arrived, so I came directly here…." His eyes twinkled. Oh goodness, Georgie groaned inwardly….  
  
She put her hand up to her head and rubbed it for a moment. Her back ached a lot, but nowhere near what she'd feel in the morning she guessed. She looked up to see both of the men looking expectantly at her. "What?" She asked suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Snape hurriedly covered. Her eyes challenged him, not really believing.  
  
"Well, I reckon I'd better catch some sleep. It's pretty late," She reasoned lamely. "I'll leave you two to talk and stuff. Good night."  
  
They both echoed a hollow 'Good Night' as she waddled over to her room, clutching at her back slightly, and she entered inside shutting them and the world outside.   
  
She flung herself on her bed and brought her pillow down enveloping her head. She didn't want to hear what they were talking about: be it what Dumbledore thought he saw or whether it were about what Snape had been out doing that day--probably something dangerous. Both thoughts made her feel sick and anxious, so she ignored them.  
  
  
  
  
A/N--Nope not going to be a romance--no good at the genre, just a reminder once again.  



	8. Chapter Eight The Lake District

CHapter Eight--The Lake District  
  
  
  
A/N: J.K. Rowling is still in charge of the world--bless her heart!  
  
  
  
When morning came and she opened her eyes with a smile she popped up of bed cheerfully, then a recollection of last night made her squint her eyes shut as if trying to banish the thought from her head. She sneered and went off to shower before the day began.  
  
On having finished showering, then dressing, she wandered out into the lounge believing that by then Snape'd be sitting there reading a newspaper or something.  
  
He was and he looked up as she entered in. "So, crazy night, eh?" She laughed, not as believably as she could have. "What'd Dumbledore say to you?" She crashed onto her couch, lightly stubbing her toe on the table and scrunching up her nose in response to the painful stabs.  
  
"You know, the usual…He asked what Voldemort said, where did meet him, If I recognized anyone out of his followers, did I happen to find out his next targets, whether there was trouble apparating through the storm, how may day was, whether I was excited on a new year of idiot students, whether we regularly break furniture…" His eyes smiled as the last bit of information sunk in, and she averted her eyes, and groaned.  
  
"I can't believe it!" She whimpered direly, "You mean we actually broke furniture?! That is so cool!" She exclaimed sunnily.  
  
"Sometimes your logic astounds me." He near-complimented.  
  
"The better to see you with my dear…" She answered in her best grandmother-ly voice.  
  
"So what are we doing today?" Snape stretched out and called to her, not bothering to look at her.  
  
"Who says I'm doing somethin' with you?" She acted disgusted. "I dunno, what do you want to do?" It was Saturday and the students were arriving tomorrow! Yikes.  
  
"Your call. I chose last time."  
  
"Yeah, that was cool." She reminisced. "How about the zoo?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Roller coaster park?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Diagon?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Children's museum?"  
  
"Nooo." He said impatiently.  
  
"Well, stop shooting down my ideas and you won't be so annoyed…" She nit-picked. "Botanical gardens?"  
  
"NO."  
  
"Monster truck rally."  
  
He shot her a look and she moved on.  
  
"Ice Hockey match?"  
  
"You're in Britain-not Canada. Next?"  
  
"Roller-blading?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Victoria's Secret?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Nevermind. Sea shore, desert, rain forest, evergreen forest…or Forbidden forest?"  
  
"Georgie." He stopped her with a look as she was ticking off the locales on her fingers. "Where do you want to go? I probably won't like it, but I'm going anyway."  
  
"Why don't we just blow shit up."  
  
He looked amused at this and shrugged.  
  
"In the Forbidden Forest." She added.  
  
"No."  
  
"Okay, the zoo next time then…"  
  
"If that was a threat let me remind you that by next week you will have even less of a power and a presence here." He pointed out.  
  
"Nah, I'm loud and I'll get noticed no matter what I do….Hey, Snape?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Go take a shower you greasy moth-ball. Then we'll go somewhere after breakfast." He hadn't managed to frighten her in a long time.  
  
He stood up and thundered off.  
  
"And use the soap this time dear! That's what it's there for!"  
  
  
  
He returned promptly, his hair somewhat cleaner and tied back into a ponytail. He strode into the room and slowed to a stop when he spied a pair of feet dancing on the back of the couch where the head was supposed to be. He approached the feet and saw Georgie laying on the couch but her head and her feet had switched positions. Once again. Her hair was umbrellaing out around her face and she was singing absentmindedly in her awful voice. "Everybody, do the Huki-lau! Huki-huki-huki-huki-huki-LAAaaU!"  
  
"Welcome back oh Potion Master guy!" She noticed him and swung herself up rightly. "Whoa," she started to teeter over and Snape's arm snapped out and steadied her. "Thanks," she acknowledged. "Kinda dizzy there for a moment. Been kinda dizzy all morning."  
  
"Maybe it's morning sickness." He smirked rudely.  
  
"Nah, I'm as innocent as Madonna." She smiled waiting to trip him up on her implications.  
  
"Which one?" He twinkled back. "Virgin Mother or not so Virgin Blonde Ambition?"  
  
She just gawked at him, before slapping him on the back. "Snape, you so rock! You aren't such a hopeless guy after all!"  
  
"Well I haven't exactly been asleep my entire life. I know what's happening in the world!" He defended angrily. They both stood up and headed for the door.   
  
"Wow!" She kept exclaiming to herself, and shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
  
  
On getting back to their rooms Snape sat and Georgie paced back and forth. "I've got an idea. We can play a game of cat-and-mouse, auror-and-asshole."   
  
Snape turned on her; "I don't have any idea whatsoever what you're babbling."  
  
"No, listen to this before you kill me. Okay, we fix up a batch of Invisibility Potion, then we have to get to some spot somewhere before the other one does. And we can charm our wands so we can send stinging shots at each other." Snape didn't look to be warming to the idea of crawling through some corridor while being pelted by stingers on his last day of leisure.  
  
"Come on," she said slyly. Cocking her head to the side, "It'll be fun and we'll have an absolute blast. If not you can run me up the flagpole, okay?" Knowing full well there wasn't a flagpole.  
  
"Trust me-if it sucks, you can choose what to do. Doesn't hurt to try new things. What do ya say, eh? Give it go..." She coddled.  
  
"I'm so very sickened now because of what I'm about to agree to…"  
  
Georgie took that for an assent to try it, so she jumped to her feet and did a happy-dance. Snape was trying to ignore her. "You'd be so embarrassing to go out with in public."  
  
"Ah, you like it--admit it. I've given you so many good reasons to be vexed, you'll be grinning for the next 20 years…"  
  
Snape yawned and sat back. "Well? Are you going to make the potion or do you need me?"  
  
"Don't need you." She jumped up, "Be back in a bit."  
  
He felt somewhat taken aback. He'd expected her to accept his help gratefully. He sat back and wondered at her impulsiveness.   
  
She was infuriating to him, really. Sometimes she was subdued, but hardly ever truly serious. Whenever things or topics got serious for her, she always changed the subject. He figured that there was something there that perhaps she even didn't want to see, or show anyone else. Perhaps she didn't like seeing it either.  
  
  
  
She was in Snape's classroom dragging her old and battered cauldron to the center of the room. She lit a blue-flame fire beneath the cauldron and added first the Bundimun secretion and the four horned slugs. "Yick." She sniffed the air. It smelled like road-kill festering in the sun. Dried nettles sat on a nearby desk and the spiders peeped up at her from a small glass jar. "NO, you're not getting out-sorry."  
  
She stirred the rank stuff until it turned yellowish beige. Looks like watery vanilla pudding, she joked. She dumped in the spiders and spun around, looking for the essence of belladonna. Oh, where did she put it? She thought she remembered bringing it in, but now she wasn't quite sure anymore. "Humma-humma," she mumbled turning slowly round in a circle searching about the room, finally resting her eyes on Snape who stood in the doorway watching her. He walked right past her, ignoring her looks and tapped a cabinet against the wall with his wand, which sprang open. He reached in, grabbed something, and crossed the floor between them and held out what was in his hand for her.  
  
She didn't look at it, but asked, "How'd you know that was what I was looking for?" She frowned hard at him.  
  
"Assumed. If you were really so clever you would have added everything but this and the nettles. If you knew what you were doing you'd have left the nettles out until last. Not many people know to do that. It makes it more potent." He said blankly.  
  
"Thank you," as she took the potion and turned away, not really smiling anymore. "Good thing I'm clever then?" She flared her nostrils and breathed deeply out.  
  
"What?" He demanded.  
  
"So you're just putting up with me because I'm clever, is that it?" She wasn't angry, just rather hurt. What if she hadn't prepared it all just so? He would've been calling her moronic.  
  
"No." He said simply. She waited for him to elaborate, but he didn't, so she just shrugged and continued stirring.  
  
Snape sat at his desk, like he did when class was in session, turning his hawk-like eyes with her hands as she stirred thoroughly.  
  
She dumped in the nettles at last and announced, "It'll need to simmer for another 20 minutes." Then felt a little dumb at having to explain her process to the master. She jumped backwards and flopped up onto a desktop. She didn't talk, but she didn't really get caught up in deep thoughts either. She sat there and twirled her hair around her fingers for a moment, then tried to flatten the hornet's nest of a pony-tail onto her head, but to no avail. She was just poofy. She looked down to her hands and twisted the ring she wore on her index finger. She was thinking that perhaps this wasn't the best idea for the day.  
  
"A gift?" Snape asked watching her fingers' actions.  
  
"Yeah," she grumbled back. "From someone a long time ago…"  
  
"Just a friend?" He asked blankly.  
  
"Huh?" She snapped out of her thoughts and lashed out defensively. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean, was it someone dear to you?" As if she were dense to not have understood his meaning.  
  
"Yeah, he was dear." Her eyes flashed, what was he doing?  
  
"Friend or lover?" As if asking coffee or tea? Paper or plastic?  
  
She was on her feet and across the room in his face before she even realized what she was doing. "What the hell Snape? I don't see what damn business it is of yours! What a way to ask…" Her face burned with heat and rage and she wanted to throttle him. He always seemed to find a way to nose into the places she tried to keep hidden.  
  
He stood up and practically pushed her over to get her to sit down on the nearest desk, frowning. "I only wished to know, not bring up painful recollections for you. I apologize for my abruptness, it was well-meant, I assure you." He sneered.  
  
She turned and stared out the high dungeon window and breathed deeply a few times as she struggled to gather her wits about her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to freak out--well, duh, I didn't mean to do it. I'm just a little jumpy today and the question scared me a little. It wasn't directed to you, you were just my scapegoat," she smiled slyly and turned to him "Forgive me, okay?"  
  
"Don't mention it. Forgotten." He cast a half-smile to set her mind at ease.   
  
But his mind was processing what had happened. It was obvious she'd lost someone in her life-family, or boyfriend he'd gathered. He really couldn't pinpoint from their conversations who it could've been, but he was curious and a bit worried over that reaction. She had frightened him slightly: her quiet unresponsive answers then a sudden leap at him yelling. Perhaps, she'd been repressing emotions inside for a long time…his face turned stony, he had no desire to think like a Muggle psychologist.  
  
She returned to the center of the room and stirred the potion. They both realized that it didn't need to be stirred at that stage, but she just wanted an excuse to move away and be by herself.  
  
Snape stretched as he got to his feet, she watched out of the corner of her eye as he stood and swept over the floor until he was standing next to her; nonchalantly standing hovering over her not saying a word. She turned and regarded him, biting her lip, and frowning.  
  
Snape reached out and turned her gently from the cauldron. "I think today we won't be blasting each other with anything…"  
  
"That's what you think, buck-o…" She muttered, eyes downcast.  
  
"But we really should finish this potion as it will most likely come in handy sometime soon…" His eyes took on a far-off look of their own. Georgie narrowed her eyes at this, assuming he was talking about midnight missions again.   
  
He took over and with a flick of his wrist extinguished the blue flames underneath and began to deftly bottle the now clear liquid. After this was finished he tapped her cauldron and it disappeared--presumably back to her room.  
  
"I hope it's clean," she accused lightly.   
  
"It is." She watched as he tided up his classroom. "Do you enjoy teaching?"  
  
He looked up briefly, then looked back at the task at hand of straightening the classroom's store cabinets. "Yes. Potion-making is what I'm best at. I am very hard on the students, but I believe it's for the best." He stated simply. "It's skill that shouldn't be taken lightly, but all too often is." Finishing, he closed the cabinet's worn wooden doors, and crossed over to where she stood.   
  
"Yes, I enjoy it also. You'll probably write it off as some power trip, and yes, that's partly true." He smiled as she smirked at this. "But, I enjoy it. I enjoy seeing them actually grasp a concept, and I am proud when one seems to find a love for the subject."  
  
"Wow, Snape. You're kinda poetic." She smiled as he looked a bit embarrassed, but recovered quickly into his sneer.  
  
He patted her frizzy head and proceeded, "Well, then that just leaves what we're going to do today up in the air." She frowned at this, but knew that she now didn't feel up to this, and that he never did.  
  
Snape proposed, "How about a leisurely day of roaming about and causing trouble?" He poked her at this, trying to lift her spirits, but still not compromising his stiff demeanor.   
  
She lost it and grinned broadly at this. "Damn, I can't stay all pissy for long. You're good, ya know."  
  
"Not really. You're good." With a different tone Snape assented proudly. A good-hearted, but still smart and ambitious Slytherin hadn't been seen in many years he thought to himself.  
  
"Aw, shucks. If I could blush, I'd be doing it. But really, I'm not that good at anything." She admitted seriously.  
  
"What are you talking about?" He virtually barked. "You're fabulous at almost every single subject. You play guitar-albeit badly, but you still play. You have a calm head. You fight like the devil." He scowled. "What aren't you good at?" Tell me so then I can pick those things apart and ridicule you if you humiliate me in front of the other students."  
  
"Geesh, already planning revenge? And I haven't even slipped that vial into your tea yet…Opps." She joked, covering her mouth with her hand. "What I'm not good at? Hmm.." She pondered as she followed him without thinking out of the classroom and back to the lounge.  
  
"Too many things actually. I can be petty, and very stubborn. I am awful at cooking, I'm awful at dressing up-ya know looking like a girl and all, grooming…" She put her finger in her mouth and pretend to gag. "I'm bad at building things, gardening, waking up in the morning, lying convincingly, fixing clogged drains, showing up on time, playing card games…. What else?" She asked herself.  
  
Snape was shaking his head and his eyes were almost laughing at her, but he didn't say a word except for the password into the Common Room. "I'm horrible at writing stories, well, all writing period. I almost have to be bound and gagged to be forced to write letters longer than a page-and that's after putting off responses for a week or more. I had a creative writing class like ten years ago, I failed it early on and I was too ashamed to tell my parents so I went out every day and came back at the appointed time. Oh yeah, I'm bad at staying serious or angry for long."  
  
"Okay! Enough!" Snape held up his hands as they stood in the lounge. "You're hopelessly flawed and a waste of air. Now grab your cloak you little fool because who knows when we'll be back."  
  
She stood looking at him for a moment then bounded off to grab her cloak, and returned with it over her arm. "Okily, where are we going?" She asked.  
  
"Don't know."  
  
"Liar--you always know." He smiled at this. Yes, he always had a plan. He motioned for her to follow her to the large fireplace at the end of the room. He flicked his wrist and a fire sprung to life. He reached up to large black container with a lid and grabbed a handful of the special Hogwarts Floo powder and cast it onto the fire. Georgie groaned, and so Snape looked over in surprise and asked, "What now?"   
  
"I always get sick when travelling by fireplace over great distances."  
  
"Oh well." He said unmoved as he turned back to the mantle. He dug a tiny canvas bag from somewhere on his person and put another handful in the pouch. "For the return trip." He told her before she could ask.  
  
"Mad skills you have, Snape! Mad skills…" She admitted admiringly, and a bit jokingly in the same breath.  
  
"Lakeside's Eagle's Talon Pub." He spoke authoritatively into the fireplace and bent down stiffly, but turned back to face her. "I'm going first as it's a long distance trip, and I don't know who might be there. Besides, I might need to catch you." He snarled.  
  
Georgie nodded and followed him with her eyes as disappeared. "Damnit, Snape. I hate this." She whined to herself.  
  
But she spoke out the directions and closed her eyes and rushed into the enchanted flames. Her stomach lurched and churned and she held her breath for what seemed an eternity before being spit out on the other side. She tripped forward and landed on her hands and knees in the side room of what looked to be an old, dusty local pub. "Nice catch, "she said bitingly as she felt him standing next to her.  
  
"You okay?" he inquired, not sounding too concerned.  
  
"I hate you." She said breathlessly, as he gripped her arm and pulled her to her feet.  
  
"You do look a little bit green," He pointed out. He led her to a chair a feet away in the abandoned room.  
  
"Hey," she piped up when she was seated. "Is this place deserted?"  
  
"No. It's run by a witch and her Muggle husband. They serve everyone here. We're in the Lake District. I figured since you've seen the island, you should see a lake next, then mountains, then arctic snows of course, then the moon probably--you'll fit right in…" he spoke down at her.  
  
"Ha." She replied unfeelingly. She burped a little and he stomach felt a little steadier, so she tried to stand up. "No problem," she grinned through gritted teeth. Her head was swimming and she felt hot and sick. She just hoped she didn't throw up on Snape or something, though the look would be priceless.  
  
Snape's heavy footfall sounded across the old floorboards as he lead her by the elbow out into the front room. He nodded curtly at a man sitting at a table concentrating at working out some figures. "You know," Georgie scratched her head and shook off Snape's cold hand from her arm. "I've been on heaps of crazy roller coasters, I've been parachuting and other crazy things, but the only thing I get sick on is the stupid Floo network. It's a necessary evil, I guess." She slapped at his arm once they were outside and he still hadn't relinquished her arm.  
  
"Gawd, Snape. I'm not gonna roll over and die. Stop babying me." He dropped her arm abruptly.  
  
Georgie looked around and saw they were on the outskirts of a very tiny village. It was very green and overgrown in parts up to the street. It smelled fresher here, though and the blinding sunlight made her squint and inadvertently smile. She burped again, then pried, "So what're we to do here? Pick wildflowers?"  
  
Snape snorted. But didn't answer. He grabbed her arm again and lead her along the road into the village. Before she could protest the leading about, he put his finger to his thin lips and just nodded with his head down the road. Uh, okay…thought Georgie confusedly, Could you be any more cryptic?!  
  
There were old shops with water stains running down the walls, and down side streets there were residences and gardens. It was nice, very quiet and secluded and all that. They strode past only three other people who looked to be just going out for an unhurried walk themselves.  
  
They must've looked the odd pair. They both carried their cloaks over their arms, and Snape with his sallow skin, wore black pants with a black shirt on top strode down the street stealthily, looking visibly not happy. Georgie looked only a little better. She was wearing a cream-colored sweater over jeans and smiling dopily and distractedly at everything she saw.   
  
When they reached the other end of the village, Snape pulled her over under a tree by the side of the road. Georgie burped, grinned and asked, "Now what?"  
  
"Now we see the lake." Snape explained.  
  
"There's a lake?"  
  
"Yes," He spat. "Lake Windermere. It's a common tourist site."  
  
"Cool. Never been there."  
  
Snape took off and she struggled to meet his pace. He seemed to be on a nature binge, because he lectured her the entire way on the local flora and geology. She only half listened, even though what he was saying was fascinating. She was turning her palm over and over as a ladybug crawled up her fingers.  
  
They soon arrived at the lake; they had actually seen it a good distance before actually reached it. It was immense! And so beautiful. They both stood in silence and appreciated it for a few moments. It seemed to melt into the surrounding slopping fields and patches of trees. So balanced, she reflected.  
  
Snape suggested they take one of the paths, but he warned they probably wouldn't be able to go the entire distance around the lake, as it was something like 20 miles he guessed. Georgie argued that they could apparate back into the town if it got dark and they were still a ways off…. But he shot that down quickly.  
  
The followed a footpath that would take them to an area known for it's wonderful views and a handful of bluffs poking out of the hillside, jutting down to the lake shore. It took them under two hours to reach the point, it was well-marked by signs. Georgie clambered atop one of the nearer bluffs and commented nicely on the view, but Snape obstinately chose to remain feet firmly on the ground. "Wuss," she challenged as she hopped down.  
  
They walked around a bit at this site for a few minutes. Georgie was examining rocks, not for Geology, but for hurling into the lake. Snape sat down a few paces from the shore gingerly on the ground, lost in his thought. Georgie slid onto the ground next to him quietly. She deftly raised the rocks in her hand up and heaved it into the lake with a dull thud. Snape turned on her looking highly displeased.  
  
"Hey, Severus," he turned towards her and rested his chin on his hand watching her. "Don't you ever get annoyed spending time with me? I mean, you're so serious and solemn and stuff and I'm a bit if an odd-ball, always joking and goofing off. You'd think we wouldn't get along."  
  
"Are you saying that you don't like spending time with me?" He asked sternly.  
  
"Oh, hell no!" She laughed reassuringly. "Nah, it's just I figured you'd get tired of me or want to murder me or think I'm too immature for your time and stuff. I can't help what I am." She apologized, with a complacent look on her face.  
  
"Is that what you think?" Snape looked at the lake and laughed. A rare full, uninhibited rumble. "You aren't as smart as they say you are girl." She bristled as he called her girl. He knew that it would get her back up full-well.  
  
He sat his hand on top of her head and pattered her hair down. She beamed-that was the only sign of affection Snape allowed himself with her. "No," He coughed and his face regained it's expressionless state once more. "I think you're fine. You've got guts and you're clever enough that I don't want to kill you all of the time." He stressed. "I think you are one of the few people with whom I enjoy my time with. I don't rightly know why, perhaps it was all forced upon me. But don't worry. If I start to hate you, believe me--you'll know it." He rationalized dryly.   
  
  
"Cool." She said and sighed. Then burped, and grinned. "I think you're pretty cool too." He growled, and she jumped up and ran away before he tried to kill her.  
  
  
On looking at her Mickey Mouse watch Georgie informed Snape that it was almost 2 in the afternoon, and if they were to see anything else, they'd better start now.  
  
Snape headed back down the path in the direction they'd come, and Georgie threw one last shard into the lake, before taking off at a run to catch up with him. On the walk back into the village of Lakeside, Georgie kept hopping off ahead of Snape and he kept throwing her dirty looks. At last she stopped, "Hey, I enjoy the sunshine and air my way, you enjoy it yours." That shut the man up.  
  
  
They approached the village and Snape once again put his hand under her elbow and lead her through the street and back to the pub. She bit her lip to stay quiet. She didn't see the point--she wasn't going to get lost--there was only one main road for goodness sake! And she wasn't feeling in the least bit sick anymore. Perhaps it had to do with Snape's slight paranoia about public, especially public Muggle, areas. But she figured, with all he's seen in his life, he deserved to be allowed a little bit of leeway. And he was probably justified, when one realized the precarious position he was in. She didn't like to think about it though, it still made her a little bit sick.  
  
It hadn't taken as long to return as it had to reach the lake, so they sat down at a table and Georgie suggested the order drinks. "They serve Muggle drinks here, Georgie." He accused.  
  
She rolled her eyes at this, and waved her hand gaily at that. "Of course! Don't you ever drink Muggle drinks?" She asked incredulously.  
  
She flipped a small drink list at him and she dared him by saying, "Pick your poison." He scoured the list with eyes narrowed. Georgie sat back in amusement.  
  
The man came and orders were placed, which arrived within minutes. Georgie's drink was yellow and looked fruity. She slid her wand out of her hand and tapped it on the glass, causing a wafting fog to emanate from the liquid. "I learned that in Poland," She explained. "Tickles my nose though."  
  
Looking across at Snape's Stout, she gagged. "Gross, I hate that stuff: Too thick. But a very masculine drink. Good for you Snape." She congratulated him smartly, which he didn't appreciate.  
  
She giggled as she lifted her drink to her lips. "Mmm, nummers. Want some? Go on, try it."  
  
He took it reluctantly from her and tried to blow away some of the vapor, but gave up and took a quick drink.  
  
"I like that." He nodded approvingly and handed it back to her hand, she smiled.  
  
He looked hard at her. "You smile all the time." He remarked accusingly, making her smile even wider.  
  
"Yup," she permitted, and drank her drink.  
  
  
  
A couple of hours later and a few more drinks later, Georgie and Snape were a bit jollier. Snape had a healthy pallor to his skin and Georgie was grinning at everything even more than usual. Neither were anywhere near drunk, but they were a bit more sociable. Several other customers had entered into the pub, so Georgie couldn't make any more fog in her drinks.  
  
Snape was telling her about some of the worst students that he'd ever had to teach--some going back many years. She laughed at all of his descriptions, and kept interrupting to ask unconnected questions. Pretty much just to annoy him. She learned to interpret his smiles better now. His face would display a frown or an angry snarl, but if she looked at his eyes-they were usually sparkling with amusement or laughter. He was becoming easier to read overtime, but it vexed her that he wouldn't just be plain and to the point about his emotions.  
  
Conversation for him came a little bit easier he realized, as he babbled on about students and teachers who'd come and gone. The only thing remaining constant was his presence there. She was fascinated to know that about ten years ago Hogwarts taught Natural Sciences besides Herbology and Astronomy. "So what happened?" She gaped.  
  
"Pressure for Wizarding families. They said they'd have no use for it in the Wizarding world, so it was dropped."  
  
"How ridiculous." She set her glass down rather harder than she'd meant to.   
  
Snape's eyebrows shot up questioningly. "I agree."   
  
Georgie, looked at the neighboring tables of the couples who sat with their heads together, at the groups of men who swooped down on the bar like vultures.   
  
"Severus, have you ever been in love?" She looked back at their own table.  
  
He didn't take long to answer. Almost sadly, he replied, "I don't know. Maybe once. But I don't think so. And you?"  
  
"I don't know either." She admitted with a sigh and a shrug. "Don't think I ever will either. But that doesn't bug me." She said strongly, as if trying to convince herself.  
  
"Why ever not?" He asked angrily. "You're young, smart, bizarre…" He ticked off on his bony fingers. She groaned at this.  
  
  
"Thanks, but I've tried my hand at dating. My biggest problems were with people who couldn't handle my ethnicity--especially a problem in Poland. Then there was a Muggle friend who freaked when he found I was a witch, a couple of guys scared off by intellect, a couple by my sense of humor, a couple…I don't know why the left. Men leave me. So, I give up." She voiced somberly and slowly, but smiled to show it hadn't gotten to her.  
  
Snape sat for a moment frowning and fingering his frosty mug. After a few moments, he looked up and off at something behind her. "I've found, not from experience, but from books and other resources that love seems to happen where you least expect it. Perhaps when you give up, then it will find you. You don't choose who you love, it just sort of happens-a giant cosmic practical joke. If those boys couldn't see past all those superfluous things, then they were unworthy, and you should have cursed them."   
  
He focused on her, "I don't think it's right for you to despair of it's ever coming. You're happy and hopeful on every other subject, you can't discriminate now."  
  
"But you've given up," she pointed out.  
  
"It's different with me…difficult to explain." He started unsure what to say or how to say it.  
  
"Bullshit, it's different," She spat and glared at him. The drinks were making all formality dissolve between them. Man, they should get drunk more often and have telling conversations. "What the hell makes you so damn different from the rest of the damn world, that you don't get to have someone? Are you above emotions, or some other stoical shit?" She was hurt that he had such a low opinion of himself.  
  
"Georgie, I have stains on my hands," He lifted his hands in a gesture of giving up. "I've done things, seen things that if you knew about you'd hate me, the world'd hate me. No woman in her right mind would want to be joined with the name Severus Snape. I'm damned for what I've done. The rest of this life has got to be penance-but it won't ever be enough. Of course I'd love to love someone, but I just can't see it. It'd hurt her, so why even start? It's pointless…" He mumbled and looked into his hands menacingly.  
  
"Severus, Listen to me and listen good. You're the only one in this entire world who still hates you. You've moved on, and changed your life for the better. You're doing good things teaching those kids up at Hogwarts. You're a freaking genius--probably the best in Europe at Potions. You're witty, you're just, you're brave enough to spy for the ministry--even today," His eyes flashed at this. She went on, "You're generous, interesting, good and loyal. You even look kinda cute with your hair in the pony-taily thingy. The past doesn't define or dictate who you are today. It just shapes you into what you make yourself today."  
  
"But I was Death Eater! I was the biggest dupe in the world, I could've stopped so much from happening. I could've saved so many lives if I hadn't been making those blasted potions for them," he groaned achingly.  
  
"Severus, you're ridiculous. You deserve love all the more than! You deserve a sweet little thing who'll crush you with kindness and forgiveness and tell you it's all going to be alright. She'd forgive you! For goodness sake," She hissed, "If I can forgive you, a former Death Eater, when a Death Eater killed my brother, then what the fuck are you hesitating over? Forgive yourself already. Damnit, date someone or something already…." She rambled off…  
  
He didn't say anything for a minute, he just stared at her as if searching her face for something besides the evident frustration. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."  
  
"That's because I didn't want you to know. And I really hadn't meant to let it slip tonight either," mumbling into her glass. But looking up, she tried to play it off. "Look, I thought you'd act all weird if you knew, so now you know, okay? I know it's not your fault and I don't want you feeling guilty either--there wasn't anything you could have done. The man who did it is in Azkaban. I don't harp on it, so you don't either," she ended gruffly.  
  
Then trying to steer the conversation back to happier thoughts she prompted quietly, "Don't you think people deserve second chances?"  
  
"Yes. I do think they deserve second chances, we all deserve second chances. I just don't really see how I've earned the right to something like love or happiness--which has nothing to do with chances," he spoke bitterly.  
  
She laughed for the first time in many minutes, "Severus. No one deserves anything! That's the amazing and surprising part of love. Thinking, Oh my God, this person finds me fabulous even though I'm a skanky idiot or something. If love made sense we'd all be in love a helluva lot more and it wouldn't be as special an occasion! Honestly, whatever resources you've read are crap. It's so amazing because it's so unpredictable and amazing that someone admires you for you, despite what they see and hear, and what you do to try and throw them off of the scent. Trippy ain't it?" She drank to that.  
  
He drank with her, "How'd you get to be so smart if you've never been in love?"  
  
"Ah, I'm very good at imagining…" She said dreamily.   
  
Snape laughed again at this. "You never cease to amaze me." She nodded and smiled at that.  
  
"You know, I could very easily see you happy with someone…No really!" She insisted. "I've only known you two weeks and I've managed to break your hard exterior (and your ribs) and I've seen you're a great guy, even though you never show anyone that side of you. And happiness becomes you, it becomes all of us." She covered hurriedly. "Just wait--she'll come and turn your world upside down, there'll be music and poetry and little birdies singing and all that, and you'll feel like you're in heaven. A wonderful, fantastic, perfect, dream-world. It'll be lovely, and it will happen." She looked serious.  
  
He looked at he blankly, "Your faith and hopes are stronger than my will to believe it."  
  
"Try." She said acidly. "You give up on things to easily." He looked slightly taken aback at this, but didn't mention it.  
  
"I'd love to see you in love Severus, You'd be the most changed of men. It'd be spectacular to watch, you'd probably explode into sonnets and gush on and on about how fair her hair is and light her touch and all that silly stuff. It's always the quiet ones that surprise you with passionate hearts…"  
  
"I would do no such thing." He scoffed at the portrait painted of himself, and beginning to get annoyed at the picking apart of his fate in love.  
  
"Ah, yeah you would, don't argue. Maybe not sonnets, but I really couldn't see you doing the haiku thing…" She chided. "I'll keep my eyes open for any hottie ladies out there for you."  
  
"I should thank you for that, but I won't." He snipped.   
  
  
"Severus, you know that you're best." She praised and looked out the window at the setting sun. "Now, let's get back to Hogwarts before we miss the last dinner we'll have that'll be in peace and relative quiet."  
  
He stood and she went to settle the bill. Georgie followed him to the side room with the fireplace and as Snape was digging around for his pouch of Floo powder, she stuck one of those funny little paper drink umbrellas into his ponytail when he wasn't looking.  
  
  
  
She followed him through the fireplace and was very grateful to be back at Hogwarts. The day had been fun, but it had been really full too--and it was still early. She seated herself on the couch for a minute regaining her stomach and her wits about her as she thanked him once again for taking her to the Lake District and for putting up with her prattling. He just dismissed her with a wave of his hand.  
  
They walked into the Great Hall side-by-side in high spirits, well; she was in high spirits. He was just not in bad spirits, which was the most that she could ask for. She thought it was a pity that he sat so far away, all the way down by Dumbledore and Minerva, who beamed warmly down on her as she sat down. He funnily enough, was thinking the same odd thoughts-that it was a pity that she sat all the way down by Hagrid. But he didn't give it a second thought as Dumbledore engaged him in conversation about what he'd gotten up to that day.  
  
Georgie was listening to Hagrid rattle on about how excited he was to see the students again, especially Harry Potter and his friends, how excited he was to meet the Hogwarts Express, How he couldn't wait to hear their little voices, how he couldn't wait for classes to begin, how much he wanted to surprise the students with his new creatures….Georgie inwardly dreaded Hagrid's class. Minerva had shared some previous experiences of Hagrid's Care of Magical Creatures classes. It was going to be exciting but she realized it'd also be foolhardy to not recognize that Hagrid was blind to the dangers and to the proper care of the majority of the creatures. She'd have to keep her eyes wide open in that class.  
  
The dinner was surprisingly pleasant and merry and when it got late everyone slowly drifted off to their own rooms.  
  
Snape found Georgie already down there when he walked in. He sighed, "Well, this is the last night before the burden of students, before the resuming of night-rounds and everything."  
  
She strummed her guitar absent-mindedly as he went to his room and returned with some parchment and quills. Georgie pointed, "Ya know, you've got a desk and a classroom if you'd be more comfortable there, I'm likely to bug ya. Or I can go somewhere else."  
  
"No you won't bug me." He leaned over the coffee table and began writing in a loose-hand.  
  
"Okay," she said with obvious disbelief in her voice. She played a few songs, not really paying attention to the music or anything else. She stopped playing when Snape got to his feet. He came back with his cloak in hand, "Where are you going?" She asked delicately.  
  
"To see Dumbledore." He offered simply. She looked sharply at his cloak as if asking him why he needed it, but he didn't volunteer the information, so she didn't press it. But she knew what he was up to and she got very upset suddenly, but tried not to let it show. It was an unreasonable, illogical anger.  
  
"Well, have fun," she tried to sound perky, but she knew it had come out only half-assedly, and he had noticed, but he swept out the door with robes billowing out behind him.  
  
She knew he was doing a good thing-a good thing for all of them and she should be grateful. He was working to bring down the most evil and murderous wizard the world had seen in almost 100 years, but she felt angry with him for doing it. Upset with him for gambling with his life so freely, for throwing caution to the wind at times, and for setting himself in harms way. She knew he was capable of defending himself, or Dumbledore wouldn't allow this, but she felt hopeless. It was childish and selfish, but she just didn't want her friend getting hurt.  
  
  
  
A/N -- I apologize for this coming so slowly. We've all had many difficult things on our minds these days (our world's a strange place) and I'm adjusting to the studying-thing once more. Stay safe everyone.  



	9. Chapter Nine Anticipation

Chapter Nine--Anticipation   
  
Once again, JK Rowling = owns stuff = genius = don't sue   
  
  
  
  
Several hours later, Georgie was in a funk. She was drinking Diet Coke while lying spread out on her couch with her feet up, a fire was burning bright in the fireplace and the room was cozy, but that didn't reflect in Georgie. She had gone completely through her new guitar music book, but she hadn't liked any of the new songs anyway. It was well past midnight, but it felt odd going to sleep so early, she tried to convince herself.   
  
She sat up and shifted her back so that it soaked up the warmth from the fire evenly. She strummed slowly as she sang lowly and melancholically:   
  
Sing me to sleep,   
Sing me to sleep;   
I'm tired and I   
I want to go to bed.   
Sing me to sleep,   
Sing me to sleep,   
And then leave me alone.   
Don't try to wake me in the morning,   
'Cause I will be gone.   
Don't feel bad for me,   
I want you to know,   
Deep in the cell of my heart,   
I will feel so glad to go.   
Sing me to sleep,   
Sing me to sleep,   
I don't want to wake up,   
On my own anymore.   
Sing to me, Sing to me   
I don't want to wake up   
On my own anymore.   
Don't feel bad for me   
I want you to know   
Deep in the cell of my heart   
I really want to go.   
There is another world   
There is a better world   
Well, there must be,   
Well, there must be...   
  
She stopped suddenly and ran her hands absently through her hair.   
  
She jumped and gave a cry when she heard a voice behind her. "That's a nice song." She twisted around to see Snape standing behind her, in front of the fireplace.   
  
Heaving a sigh of relief, she nodded. "I'm a poor singer. It's a bit depressing I think." She turned from him. He stepped further into the room.   
  
"You should try and make noise when you walk, you know," as she yawned.   
  
"Walking silently has saved my life on more than one occasion." She grimaced at his casual speaking.   
  
"Why are you still up?" He asked suspiciously.   
  
"Couldn't sleep." That was true to some degree. He looked at her like she was lying to him, so she glared at him. Then ignoring him, she strummed lightly on her strings.   
  
"I must go to Dumbledore immediately, so if you'll excuse me, I'll bid you goodnight."   
  
"Goodnight," she echoed almost lazily.   
  
At the door, the tall dark figure turned and said slowly and deliberately, "It's nice having someone waiting up for you."   
  
She didn't look up as she responded lamely without thinking, "And it's nice waiting up for someone." With that, he left.   
  
She stood up and collected her things from the room and headed off to bed. She was just glad he wasn't bleeding or worse, she felt a hundred times lighter. He'd gone out twice that week and there were more and more reports of killings and tortures that she couldn't stand to read the paper any longer. She left the fire going though, so it'd be warm when he returned. Her eyes had barely closed, when she fell immediately into a deep sleep.   
  
  
  
Georgie woke the next morning with not a thought on her mind of what had transpired last night, but thought only of the fact that the students were arriving that very night. What fun and potential and craziness there was to be had. She bounded across the room and picked out a clean and especially striking outfit, she wanted to make a good first impression. She grabbed a towel and danced off to the shower, humming lowly to herself.   
  
On returning, she rummaged through the piles of her clothing and bags and boxes and found the enchanted necklace she had bought with Minerva in Diagon Alley. She slipped that on loosely and tied to her large wrist a wooden Tiki bracelet. For luck she told herself, though she didn't believe in luck. She liked to wear it to confuse ignorant people who thought she looked like one who might dabble in Voodoo magick. She brushed her hair in front of the tiny mirror hanging on her wall until the top at least was flattened down, but the unruly curls still fell down her neck. She stuck her wand to her head and uttered a Holding charm on her hair. Looking herself over as she slipped her robes on, she nodded in acceptance.   
  
At least it's an improvement, she thought, though no one would mistake her for someone who was gorgeous, but at least not grotesque. She sighed as she reasoned with herself, No, it wasn't that she had low self-esteem or anything, it was just she saw it as fact. People excel in different things. Her thing wasn't beauty, but she was content enough with the gifts she had so she didn't harp on it for too long.   
  
  
  
She bustled out into the lounge to see if Snape was ready for Breakfast. He was sitting on the couch reading his paper, which he set down when she came out.   
  
"You took longer than usual." He stared her down without expression.   
  
"Sorry."   
  
"You're wearing jewelry." He noted with what sounded like dissatisfaction.   
  
"Sorry." Geesh, he sounded like her own father.   
  
"You did something with your hair." His gaze didn't brake off.   
  
"Sorry again." This was a pointless conversation; she was losing patience quickly.   
  
"Perfume?"   
  
"Ha! Nope, not wearing perfume!" She grinned, trying to sever the tension. "Gotcha!" She winked at him. "Now, come on, let's get going." She whined.   
He stood and followed her out into the Common Room then out into the corridor.   
  
She almost started skipping as he soon out-paced her with his strides, but she was spinning and hopping anxiously and clasping and unclasping her hands.   
  
"Excited about something?" He sneered at her.   
  
"Duh! How can you not be!? In just a few hours these halls will be full of students whose brains are just aching to be filled with your knowledge. There's going to be excitement, mishaps, arguments, crushes, hopes, failures-all of it starts tonight! Isn't it awesome!" She drawled.   
  
Snape looked forward, "After 15 years of teaching, I cannot get as easily worked up as you can."   
  
"Well, just think of it like this. There'll be new Slytherins to look after, there'll be heaps of empty heads who don't know a whit about Potions that you can transform into veritable gods at the craft, plus there'll be the House Competition and Quidditch to keep you on your toes." She knew she'd gotten through. Snape secretly adored Quidditch, though he wouldn't let on to anyone he was fond of such a childish endeavor.   
  
The walked on in silence, his tall, thin, pale form stepping with purpose while the shorter, dark and broad figure next to him danced and pranced as if it were springtime.   
  
They entered through the doors and Georgie was pleased to see the other Professors had also dressed with more care that day. She stuck her tongue out at him discretely as he stepped away from her to his seat, as to rub it in. Minerva looked especially grand as her hair was twisted up into an intricate coif unfortunately hidden under her hat.   
  
Hagrid was already started on his food, but he plucked her sleeve when she sat down and leaned in towards her. "Ya wanna go with me to meet the Hogwarts Express tonight? I asked Dumbledore and he said it'd be fine by 'im, if you were up to it." He looked at her and she grinned broadly and thanked him profusely.   
  
Lupin looked slightly healthier than he had looked the past few days too, which was a miracle in and of itself, she giggled. He was pretty cute, she thought offhandedly and when he wasn't looking, to be wasting away. Then as if someone could read her thoughts, she felt her face burning and twittered with slight embarrassment. No one seemed to notice as she swept the table for eyes, so she was safe. Geesh, Paranoid Georgie! No one can read your thoughts! She considered the possibility that she were going mental.   
  
He wasn't as old as her father or mother--they were quite old when she was born and went to them, but still it'd be a big enough age jump that she didn't even want to think twice about the possibility. 15 years wasn't really such a big deal for her, but she felt that deep down in her heart that it was just being silly, that Remus was just a friend and that there was no way in hell he would look on her as otherwise. But she smiled at the secret information nonetheless.   
  
Breakfast ended much to quickly; time seemed to simply drag on. She wondered how she'd last until the evening. She wandered through the castle's hallways alone directly after the meal. She ran into Peeves the Poltergeist at the end of a shadowy hallway and ran whooping and hollering back from whence she came as he started to hurl several potted plants that had formerly lined the walls right at her. She explored corridors and open galleries for what seemed like hours. She had never seen so many of these rooms. Of course she knew Hogwarts was enchanted, and staircases and rooms were always moving about, but it amazed her that there were so many she hadn't come across. She had discovered a passageway that lead from the corridor right outside of the kitchen to almost directly in front of the Hufflepuff Common room. Unfortunate she wasn't a Hufflepuff, she lamented.   
  
She slowly meandered back to the Dungeons and let herself in. Snape was sitting on the coach and didn't look up. Man, she was bored! She plunked herself down on the couch and sighed heavily. She twisted her face up into a deep grimace. What to do? She had a full day, but she couldn't go anywhere, and she didn't have any work to do. She could always read, but it was such a lovely day.   
  
She twisted in her seat so that her head was now where her feet ought to be and her feet rested nicely on the back cushions of the couch. She kicked her shoes off and behind the couch and they landed with a loud clank. Her robes were falling down over her face, and she fussed to keep them pushed up.   
  
Snape finally stole a glance at his companion and glowered. "Why do you always do that? It you look almost indecent."   
  
"Snape, damnit," rolling her eyes in annoyance. "I'm wearing pants and a shirt; I'm not freaking naked. It's only you and me here you know. You're such a prude."   
  
He shot her a 'drop-dead' look and returned to his paper.   
  
"I'm going into Hogsmeade. Need anything?" She righted herself, with only a slight light-headedness. It was fun.   
  
"No." He said flatly.   
  
"Okily, see you later then." Georgie stood up and slipped back into her shoes. She mounted the first of many staircases up to the Gryffindor tower. She was going to ask Minerva if she wanted to tag along.   
  
  
  
Before she knew it Minerva and Georgie were passing by the far end of the lake and ambling out the great gates of Hogwarts. Minerva daintily maneuvered the railroad tracks as Georgie barely noticed their presence. It turned out Minerva wanted a book from Dervish and Banges, a well-stocked wizarding supply store, plus she'd never turn down a look at the latest styles Gladrags offered. Georgie knew that Minerva had an obsession with nice clothing and shoes--she didn't know anyone else in the world with Minerva's collection of footwear.   
  
Georgie wanted to attack Honeydukes with the fury of a tornado, but she compromised and only bought two bags of sweets. She loved their fudge and had bought a huge hunk of the stuff.   
  
Georgie was complimenting her on her choice of attire that day, but Minerva wanted something new for the new school year. Georgie knew that Minerva probably had already bought several robes for the new school year, but she just smiled knowingly to herself. At Gladrags Minerva and Georgie took turns trying on different colors and styles of robes and modeling them. Minerva looked fab in a gray robe made of some soft stuff, it made the austere women look a bit warmer. Georgie slightly pressured her to buy it, but didn't feel too bad about it. She would look perfect in the color and sleeves were ever so slightly feminine. And Minerva didn't really need her arm twisted to get her to buy anything.   
  
  
Georgie bought a robe of a forest green color, very simply made up, but Minerva said it made her look more golden and less exotic. Georgie wondered at that statement--what was wrong with looking like she looked anyway? But she liked the robe for it's own sake and hell, she was a Slytherin....   
  
They missed Lunch, but spent the rest of the afternoon in Dervish and Banges, Minerva taken captive by the book section and Georgie perusing the potion ingredient section. She frowned slightly, as the prices were a tad bit higher than in Diagon, but what could one expect from a smaller shop.   
  
She was examining a drawer-full of dragon-scales set next to basilisk-scales, when a voice spoke over her shoulder, "Basilisk scales are cheaper." She didn't avert her eyes as she replied, "Yeah, but I need Dragon-scales and nothing less for what I'm doing.   
  
Snape leaned forward and into her line of sight, "What are you doing?"   
  
"Can't tell, would have to kill you if I divulged..."   
  
"Probably illegal," he tried to draw it out from her.   
  
"Probably," she grinned. "What're you doing here?"   
  
"Needed something."   
  
"I asked if you needed anything. You said no. Didn't you trust me, or has something dire come up within the past few hours?"   
  
"I trust you, and nothing dire has come up." He turned around and leaned against the counter she looking over. He eyed her parcels disdainfully. "Having a good time shopping?"   
  
"Oh course!" She laughed cordially. "How could I not, Minerva's great company and I love parting with my money for things I don't even need."   
  
"Typical female." He sneered and pushed off the counter and stepped back.   
  
She rolled her eyes blatantly, "Typical male to say that."   
  
"Now if you'll excuse me," he bowed out.   
  
Turning back to her scales and creepy things. Hm, that was weird, she allowed before bringing a jar of tubeworms up to her eye-level for inspection "Yick!"   
  
  
  
Georgie paid for her purchases and sought out Minerva who was just about to purchase her books. She spied Snape scanning the bookshelves for something or other...Dancing up to Minerva's side she shifted her parcel's about in her arms, making it easier to handle. "You alright?"   
  
"Yes, let me just take care of these, then we can hike on back to the castle." She smiled down on Georgie and Georgie winked at her and poked through a box of decorative charms on a side counter with her free hand. She held one up to the light that was a round Celtic knot inlaid with silver. It looked very old, but was kinda cool anyway. Georgie studied it, then set it down. Ah, shopping! And with Minerva it felt like shopping with her mother had felt: fun and chatty and girly. Georgie guessed the woman to be about her mother's age, but there weren't many other similarities. Georgie's mother was a bit high-strung, but also a little dizzy at the same time. Her mother'd lose her head if it weren't fastened on correctly.   
  
Minerva seemed younger somehow, like she were still a daughter to someone and not a mother. So even when Georgie felt that Minerva might be looking down on her for being young or inexperienced, Georgie always thought of her more as a friend than as one of the 'adults' she used to war against in her adolescence.   
  
The woman paid for her books, and received them back over the counter all wrapped up. She gave the younger woman a short smile and they both swept out the door. They strolled down the main street and began to clamber up the incline to the castle. Minerva was strict where safety and decorum was involved, but she had a sense of humor every bit as sharp as Georgie's and the reveled all the way up and into the entryway, where they parted: Georgie scuttled down one set of stairs while Minerva ascended an opposite set.   
  
  
After putting away her new prizes she set down on the couch after snatching up a book. She was reading up on the Multiverse Theory when Snape burst in the door, balancing a long parcel in his hands, curious.... "Need a hand with that Snape?" He stopped in his tracks, shook his head sharply and continued on into his room.   
  
"Can't say I didn't try," under her breath as she picked up her book again. She just had to wait until Hagrid came for her and then they'd be going down to the Hogsmeade, but it was going to be hard to concentrate.   
  
Snape returned after some time in his room. He'd changed from his usual black robes into...Different black robes. Georgie fought the urge to laugh outright at this. Creative bugger, wasn't he?   
  
"Wow," she sort of played it up. "You look almost good. See, you do care about the students."   
  
"I'm not going to acknowledge that comment because it's absurd." Ah, Snape cares, how sweet, she taunted in her head.   
  
"And your hair's all brushed and stuff. What's that I see? Oh my goodness! Someone grab a camera! I do believe his robes aren't black--they are off-black!" She nearly raved.   
  
He shot her a look as he flicked his wand and brought a fire to life.   
  
"It's not even sunset yet, you goober!"   
  
"It will be quite late when we return, the feast runs longer than usual meals do and we have a house meeting...." He explained condescendingly.   
  
"Ah, I see. So, you're dressing to impress the Slytherins? Must be..."   
  
"Think what you will, I don't care," He said tiredly as he leaned back and shut his eyes.   
  
"You're tired?" She ventured after a few moments.   
  
"Extremelly. How observant of you."   
  
"Well, take some Sleeping Potion tonight." As soon as she said that, she wished she could take it back, He had probably already resolved to do so, it was obvious. That was Georgie--Speak first, think later.   
  
"I'm out. Madam Pomfrey cleaned me out right after you left this morning. It appears Sprout has had some difficulty sleeping this past week as Peeves has taken to terrorizing her doorstep apparently. I'll have to brew some up tomorrow." He brought his hands up to his temples.   
  
"Screw that. It's simple, I'll do it for ya after the feast, no prob."   
  
"No, don't do that."   
  
"Why the hell shouldn't I?" She demanded.   
  
"No need, really. It's only me and it's dangerous."   
  
"Well you're out, so you need it anyway. Plus, I'm going to do it whether you like it or not. It's easy for me. It's only potions involving blood, like immortality and necromancy potions that I have trouble with..."   
  
His eyes shot open in alarm at that. "Joking," She smiled. He glared at her and went back to massaging his temples.   
  
She jumped to her feet and grabbed up her cauldron and the ingredients she would need and dropped them off in the classroom she would use. She returned in no time flat and she highly suspected Snape hadn't realized she'd even left.   
  
"Snape?" She asked after several moments of staring off into space.   
  
"What?"   
  
"Could you kill Voldemort?"   
  
He lowered his eyes to see her clearly. She was looking doleful out the window when she asked.   
  
"I don't know," He answered truthfully. "I know I want to. I hope that when the time comes it won't be me, but instead someone surer of his abilities," He frowned. "Ministry people have long believed only Potter could do it--him having some sort of connection...." He rubbed his left forearm absently.   
  
Georgie pitied him immensely at that moment and wanted to hug him or something, but she couldn't and wouldn't do that. She felt sick at the mention of anyone having to fight Voldemort. Most who did, didn't live to tell about it. And Harry was a just a child still. The war was hitting too close to home once again.   
  
"Do you sometimes think you might die out there?" She feared she was asking too much now, and held her breath to await his answer or rebuttal.   
  
"All the time. When I was younger I welcomed it--did risky and daring things. But I was driven by a wish to die--to atone for my deeds, I wanted to die for the right side and just be over with it. Penance. Now, I'm forced to complete the same tasks, but I must live to watch out for Potter and now that I have some semblance of a life now, I find that I'm not eager to go out yet. It...." He paused, "Scares me to know that now I'm like everyone else who doesn't want to die, but risks everything anyway. So much time wasted, so much not said and done in life..." he seemed to forget she was in the room as his eyes took a far off look to them.   
  
She felt like blubbering but wouldn't allow herself to show the weakness. She tried to look elsewhere as Snape's eyes slowly refocused and sought hers. She looked miserable, Snape noted.   
  
"Severus?" He nodded slowly without leaving her eyes.   
  
"Don't die okay?" She meant that in all seriousness but it probably came out wrong. She didn't want to lose her friend, and she was feeling uncomfortable with all the seriousness.   
  
"I'm not trying to Georgie." The corners of his mouth twitched up into a half-smile. "Don't look so down. I'm not dying anytime soon." She broke into a smile at this but was not laughing at his attempt at humor.   
  
"Good, 'cuz if you died, I'd have to hunt you down, resurrect you and then murder you myself."   
  
"Counter-productive, but do what you must." His eyes twinkled. "Now, how about some music?"   
  
"Only if you promise to say nothing about my voice." She was already to the door of her room.   
  
She came back, guitar in hand, "You know you should really learn to play. You've got good taste in music and you say it soothes you. It's not that difficult." She sat the guitar over her knees and plucked the strings as she tuned the instrument.   
  
"I have no need to so long as you're here." He smirked.   
  
"Oh, so that's all I'm good for--your entertainment?" She laughed.   
  
"Yes." He agreed.   
  
"So, shall it be a comedy or a tragedy tonight? --You know," she interrupted herself. "If we had a TV we could watch films and things on video. Then Georgie wouldn't have to play and get calluses on her fingers?"   
  
"You have calluses on your fingers from this?" he asked alarmedly.   
  
"Nah, " she partly lied. "I just wanted to freak ya out." They weren't only from the guitar, she reasoned.   
  
"Back to your original question, how about a relaxing comedy? With barbaric overtones." He challenged.   
  
"Oh yeah, I've got just the one..." and she shot him a look. "Where the hell do you come up with this crap? 'Barbaric?' Sometimes..." She shook her head.   
  
She strummed for a few minutes, then suddenly, her head popped up and she announced, "I've got one though it's not nearly barbaric enough for your tastes, I'd venture." Pausing for one more minute: "Ah, screw it, haven't a clue what to sing."   
  
Green grow the rushes, O   
Green grow the rushes, O   
The sweetest hours that ever I spent   
Are spent among the lassies, O   
  
There's naught but care on every hand   
In every hour that passes, O   
What signifies the life of man   
If it were not for the lassies, O   
  
The worldly race may riches chase   
And riches still may fly them, O   
And though at last they catch them fast   
Their hearts can ne'er enjoy them, O   
  
Give me a cannie hour at e'en   
My arms around my dearie, O   
The wisest man the world e'er saw   
He dearly loved the lassies, O   
  
Old nature swears the lovely dears   
Her noblest work she classes, O   
Her apprentice hand she tried on man   
And then she made the lassies, O   
  
  
Snape looked deep in thought at the end of the song. She continued strumming a new song with no words, then she asked him if he liked it.   
  
"I think that's slightly ribald, but I liked it nonetheless."   
  
"You did?!" she prodded cuttingly. "One always has to be careful of the quiet ones..."   
  
"Georgie?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
"Shut-up."   
  
"Gladly." She leered.   
  
An hour later, after Georgie began the childish Huki-lau song and wouldn't cease until Snape was pointing his wand at her, there was a knock.   
  
"Hagrid!" She leapt up and an astonished Snape watched her as she and her guitar flew off to her room which happened to be in the opposite direction of Hagrid's knocking. Snape, sighed, and rose to his feet and opened the door to Hagrid. Hagrid grinned down at the beanpole of a man and wished him a good evening. Hagrid stepped inside momentarily, "Ya know, Fang's been missin' ya sumthin' awful, Severus."   
  
"I assure you that the feeling's not mutual. Last time I visited he drooled on my knees the entire time."   
  
Hagrid, puffed up his chest, defending his boarhound. "He's just friendly. Nuthin' wrong with bein' friendly! He likes ya though, and that's no small matter!"   
  
"Lucky me..." He began, but was interrupted by Georgie tearing out of her room and across to where they were standing by the door. "Ready?" She asked excitedly of Hagrid, her eyes were sparkling.   
  
  
  
The rest of the evening swept by in a blur. They had only been standing at the station for about 15 minutes when the train pulled in. Hagrid scowled and looked at his watch. "Early," he muttered.   
  
He boomed for the first years to follow him, but not before he turned his large frame around as some boy called out his name. It was Harry Potter and crew. Hagrid introduced them all in turn and she shook their hands warmly, before Hagrid pushed them off in the other direction.   
  
She had followed Hagrid into boat with two cowering first year students, where she tried to smile at them to reassure them. The boats had taken them across automatically and the new students stayed huddled together: either for warmth or out of fear. No offense to her friend Hagrid, but he did pose a striking picture, enough to scare any small child--even though she knew he wouldn't hurt a fly, the students didn't yet know that. Even Georgie towered above the crowd, she felt oddly like a nursery-school teacher.   
  
How they ended up out of the boats and at the great doors, Georgie never did figure out. She was too overwhelmed, swept up in the moment. She was trying to place herself in the new students' shoes--arriving here at nighttime when everything was lit up. It was spectacular, she admitted.   
  
Hagrid pounded down the doors and Minerva answered them looking stern once again, she directed the first-years to wait in the ante-chamber for a few moments. Georgie knew they were going to be sorted so she remained with Hagrid. She tapped Minerva on the shoulder just as she was about to return to the antechamber, "Um, where should I sit?" She hissed a whisper.   
  
"With the staff of course," she smiled at her unease. "Don't worry so, Georgie. You look terrified." She twittered off.   
  
Hagrid offered her his arm and the swept into the Great Hall and up to the high Table. It felt totally different now that there were hundreds of students there and their eyes all seemed to be on the new girl walking with Hagrid up to the table. She sat down uneasily and fidgeted in her seat.   
  
The sorting was fascinating for her in an admittedly sick way. The students were terrified, but everyone watching got some satisfaction in knowing that their time was over and done with, so now they could sit back and watch others suffer publicly. Georgie refrained from hooting for the newly announced Slytherins. She was often at odds with understanding what was proper and respectable here and what was not. At the institute one spoke and did what one felt, it was a very liberating policy, but it had gotten her in trouble heaps of times also.   
  
After the sorting had ended, Dumbledore stood and the hall was silent. He welcomed the students back, shared a few words ("I didn't know 'cattawhumpus' was a word" aside to Hagrid), then lead the school song.   
  
Georgie thankfully didn't know it, nor could she see the words written in the air, so was spared the embarrassment of singing the awful song, she grimaced when the last solo voice broke off. And she was always putting her voice down!?   
  
Dumbledore turned then and smiled right at her. Oh no, she thought mournfully. "And this year we are pleased to introduce a new student to out ranks. Miss Flaing joins us from The Institute in Poland where she has been studying advanced magic, but is now transferring here. She will be in Slytherin." She didn't know whether to stand up or not, but Hagrid resolved this by almost lifting her out of her chair and onto her feet. "She will attend some classes, but as she has already graduated and is a full-fledged witch, she will spend much of her time with independent study and assisting Professors with teaching. Please extend to her the same courtesy you would to all of your Professors and your fellow students." She heard a few sniggers, and feeling all eyes on her she was grateful to take her seat once more.   
  
Dumbledore then concluded with a warning to stay out of the Forbidden Forest and then instructed everyone to eat. Right before her very eyes the table was suddenly topped with mountains of glorious food. "Good thing I skipped lunch," she spoke aside to Hagrid who grinned as he helped himself to potatoes.   
  
Georgie loved food--it showed too--but it was a good thing, because if an ordinary person had tried to cram down as much as she did they wouldn't have wanted to look at anything edible for at least a week. It was different now up here, the din of the voices echoing throughout the hall, having eyes staring at her, being under scrutiny--it'd take some getting used to.   
  
She resolved that sometime next week she'd sit down with the Slytherins and try to get to know some of them. Hagrid warned that this might be a bit hasty of an idea, but she shrugged it off rationalizing that she and Snape were both Slytherin--so what could be that bad? Then she stopped and laughed as she imagined possible gruesome outcomes.   
  
  
  
At the end of the meal Snape motioned for her to get up and follow him. They walked side by side to the dungeons. The Prefects were delivering everyone to the common room and he wanted her to be there so everyone could get a good look at her.   
  
"Why? So they'll know what I looked like before I get hexed?"   
  
"No, so they'll not try anything with you and so they'll see that you are above them by standing up with me."   
  
"Snape's gonna kick your ass, Snape's gonna kick your ass..." She sang, poking fun at him.   
  
  
  
Looking around the room at the Slytherins she wondered how in the world she'd ended up here. There were a few sweet-faced kids, but most of them looked surly and mean, and she could imagine quite a few of them inflicting harm upon others. Snape had everyone mesmerized by his voice and no one said anything as he laid down the rules and explained the term for them. She wondered if Dumbledore was playing a joke and had bewitched the Sorting hat to stick her in here. Yes, she was ambitious, but she hoped she was brave and kind and smart also. Compared to half of these kids she was probably as un-Slytherin as you could get, she mulled over in her mind.   
  
  
When that was over Snape went back to their lounge and Georgie took off in the opposite direction for the classroom where her cauldron was set up in waiting. She quickly started a fire beneath it and tossed in the first ingredients, then stood over it stirring lightly. She was slightly baffled at this. Now she was coming to understand Hagrid's warnings and Minerva's pursed lips whenever she spoke of the Slytherins. How could Dumbledore have such a scary House, year after year? She understood from the scientific point of view how having the whole spectrum, made for a better balance, but she couldn't come to see why if they continually churned out bad wizards they kept it up. And why was she here?   
  
She without realizing it dumped in the two last ingredients and finished up the potion. She snapped out of her mind wanderings and set to bottling the stuff up. She'd made quite a lot actually, but she dexterously filled and stoppered the bottles, then with a wave of her hand cleaned the entire area up.   
  
Padding back inside, she almost jumped with the many bottles in her arms when she was surprised by there still being quite a few students milling about in the Common Room. She met the eyes of a few of them as they turned and stared at her as she brushed through, and she smiled lightly at them. She had forgotten to expect them--yes, things would take a few days to get used to.   
  
Snape was lying out on his couch. She tossed a bottle into his lap and set the rest upon the top of a bookshelf by the door--he could deal with them in the morning.   
  
She yawned as plodded across the room and collapsed into a heap on the couch, tucking her legs up under her.   
  
"You could take a bottle too." Snape called to her.   
  
"No, I have no problem sleeping--it's the waking up part I don't particularly like." She mumbled dryly.   
  
"Go to bed, Snape." She had looked over and he looked to be almost asleep.   
  
"I can't until I've made my rounds." He grimaced.   
  
"Well, make 'em already. Or better still, teach me where to go and stuff, so I can help. Apprentice learning from the master and all that..."   
  
"I don't think you realize what you're asking. They're tedious."   
  
"Nifty. Shall we get started then." She figured she could take over when he was out, him doing things she didn't want to think about....   
  
He stood and sighed, "Yes I suppose."   
  
It was quite late already, and Snape doubted too many students would venture abroad on the first night back--most were still catching up with their fellow House members and friends that they hadn't seen all summer.   
  
Snape outlined where most students were caught, what sort of punishments were usually dolled out, how to get to Dumbledore's office if there was a serious problem, which passages lead where--a very thorough tour, Georgie grinned. She wished he'd told her some of this the first night.   
  
An hour and half later, Snape queried if she felt comfortable with the procedure and she consented that it was 'cake.' So they both made a beeline back down to the dungeons. Snape wasn't looking so menacing, so she figured he was about to pass out from exhaustion. She left him once inside the door explaining she needed something from the kitchens, and bid him goodnight. She laughed, as she doubted he had taken in any of the last bit of conversation.   
  
She nearly ran down to the kitchens, thanking the house elves for their lovely job on the Start-of-Term feast and picking up some wonderful herbal tea they'd gotten for her. Holding the mug tightly in her hands she raced back to the dungeons, sipping it lightly so it didn't slosh about as she walked.   
  
She hummed as she entered the Common Room and was pleased to see the last of them had gone off to bed. She entered their lounge and almost dropped her mug. Snape had fallen asleep on the couch, his hand still clutching the bottle of unused Sleep Potion. She chuckled to herself: how ironic. She set her mug down on the table in the center of the room and stood over him regarding. She killed the fire cackling in it's fireplace, then sat on the table, pushing her mug aside. What to do, what to do?   
  
If she left him there, he might be uncomfortable, he might get cold, he might miss his alarm clock--if he wakes to one, she didn't know. He might be embarrassed at being left out here. But on the other hand he was too heavy to lift, and she couldn't try and maneuver him through the door in the dark. She smiled a little at the thought of 'accidentally' smashing his nose into the doorframe, but put that away quickly.   
  
She reached over and gently pried his fingers off the bottle and set it down beside her. She stood and taking her wand from her robes, she barely whispered "Alevitecorpus." He would be lighter now, and she would be able to lift him easier. She leaned over him and reached her arms around his side and held on for dear life, but to her amazement he really was a great deal lighter, but she still didn't want him smashing his nose either.   
  
She lifted him up to her height, and then inched him up even higher so he wouldn't drag his feet. It was awkward, but at least he wasn't weighing her down. She silently prayed he wouldn't wake up and freak out at finding himself being carried off to his bedchamber or thinking something repulsive. She took slow and deliberate steps and had to pause at his door to try and turn the doorknob while not dropping the man. Then she had to turn sideways to get them both through the doorway one at a time.   
  
She glanced quickly around his room using the light coming from the open door, and she paused a second as she realized she'd never actually been in here. It was actually two connected rooms-quite a bit larger than she own were, she reminded herself to grumble about that later. There were books from the floor to the ceiling, a sizable four-poster bed and bottles lining the bookshelves and cabinets. A desk was pushed up underneath a window and there were tapestries hanging on the wall-heaps of other nice stuff too. Not too shabby Snape, she thought approvingly to herself as she brought them both over to the bed. Sure, it wasn't a manor house, but it seemed to fit him still.   
  
Leaning him against her she yanked back the coverlet with one hand and sat Snape down on the bed. She used one hand to steady him while with the other she slipped off his shoes; big stinky feet, she grinned. She then spun him and lay his head on the pillows and brought the covers up to his chest. He was dead to the world and she hoped he'd already set his alarm because there was no way in hell she'd find it in this darkness.   
  
Convinced he was okay, she stopped before exiting, kissed two of her fingers and brought them down on his forehead. "'Night Severus." She gruffly stalked from the room, and shut the door quietly behind her, then shut her own bedroom door shut behind her. At the second sound one of Snape's eyes slowly opened then shut again, he wasn't sure if he'd dreamt that or not....   
  
  
  
A/N: Hullo, just a warning, I'm going to drag this story on for as long as I think I can and as long as I still have fun humiliating the characters, so beware there may be dry times ahead. Sorry, but this is all for my own personal enjoyment.   
Fact of the Chapter: The guy who owns the Guinness brewery got the lease for the next 9,000 years at £45. I read it on that thing the waitress sets the glass down on. Ha! 


	10. Chapter Ten New Faces

Chapter Ten--New Faces   
  
  
  
  
Georgie awoke and shuddered as the light offended her eyes. The excitement that the day would hold for her took a bit of the edge off the sleeplessness and cold she was feeling right then. She quickly showered and threw on her robes. She was a little surprised to not find Snape sitting out in the lounge reading a paper-how he always got them before the morning owls came at Breakfast was beyond her comprehension! She frowned pensively for a second before impulsively turning to Snape's chamber door and slamming her first fast and furiously into it. "Snape! Just making sure you're up!" She yelled into the wood. But on not hearing anyone stir she dropped the attempt and strode out to the Common Room and to Breakfast.   
  
Snape was at that moment sitting at the far end of his room, at his desk beneath a window. He was looking out at that lake. He'd been shaken from his reverie by his young neighbor's nasal screeching. La, Girl! Is it too much for you to do anything quietly? He frowned as he tried to concentrate very hard on something at the back of his mind, eluding him at every turn. He just had a bad feeling, and he wasn't prone to unnecessary feelings and emotions--he was even less likely to dwell on figuring them out. He had the least respect for those fools who believed and put their trust in Divination and trying to read the fates, but what was he thinking right now then? Did it mean something, or was he just paranoid.   
  
He stood and straightened his robes, then briskly made his way to the Great Hall.   
  
Georgie's day passed by much too quickly, and she was enjoying herself immensely. Hogwarts was a totally different atmosphere than The Institute had been, well, just so very different in every way. Too clean, too bright and polished and practiced. Hell, half of the time she was flying by the seat of her pants in her classes, no pun intended, she apologized to herself. The first day she had Advanced Divination much to her chagrin first thing in the morning. She felt really out of place with the fifth, sixth, and seventh year Slytherins, sitting up there with the kooky lady in the stifling towers room with coverings over the windows.   
  
The first day they went over ancient omens that transferred into modern times. Personally, Georgie thought, of all the times I've seen a hawk fly over my head I don't think too many people have died directly as a result of it's foretelling afterward... She quickly deduced that if one just says something odd--anything--Trewlaney will love you. Gawd, this'll be an easy class she simpered. She sat at a table with two sixth year twins from Slytherin. They smiled a lot and on introducing themselves Georgie almost gagged on their names. Siobhan and Naimh-except they pronounced these Shavon and Neeve respectively, or at least that was how Georgie tried to pronounce them. They were Irish and had a funny lilt to their voice. She thought that at several times during the lesson they looked a bit insane, really insane. They seemed to have flashing eyes and a red glow beneath their skin. But they had a fabulous sense of humor and they were Slytherins...   
  
They had fun devising horrible ways of dying to try and fool Trewlaney when she called on them for their interpretations. When class time ended right in the middle of Niamh's explaining her vision of dying by swallowing tacks to a confused Professor, Georgie was glad to climb out of there in the company of new friends. Though she couldn't for the life of her differentiate between the two of them.   
  
  
  
At lunch she spoke with Hagrid about her lesson with him next. Hagrid was glad to have her in his class and was going on about what surprise he'd have in store for them. She just hopped that it wasn't a dragon, or a blast-ended skrewt, or pixies she thought with a smile as she remembered a story Minerva had shared with her.   
  
  
  
Two hours later she stood in front of Hagrid's cabin and muttered, "Oh my god," disdainfully. Hagrid had just produced a half dozen Pogrebins from an enormous Rhino-sized cage, and he was now breaking up the class into partners. They were to each take turns allowing the Russian Demon to follow them, but if it turned on student, the partner would use a simple hex to freeze it in place long enough for the roles to be reversed. This couldn't end well.   
  
She paired up with a tall blonde Slytherin with a haughty disposition, but Georgie didn't give one whit what she thought. She was watching her partner as she strutted back and forth trying to bait the creature into even starting to follow her, but Georgie was monitoring three other pairs close by, incase something happened.   
  
She sighed and considered just stunning it and telling Hagrid it had already done it's attacking, but then what would they do for the next few hours? She looked around at the obviously not-enthused Slytherins who were walking away from the Demons and gathering under a large tree for some shade. Most of the Demons stayed put. However one did not.   
  
One beady-eyed boy had just turned his back on his Pogrebin and was about to join the others across the grass under the shade when the Pogrebin suddenly decide it would show some spirit. It pounced on his back and snarled as it tried to take a bite out of the boys shoulder. The boy screamed and fell thrashing with it to the ground. The rest of the students witnessed this and jumped to their feet in place.   
  
Georgie dashed over to a few feet behind the struggling pair. Where's Hagrid? She thought acidly. She put her wand to the back of the creature's shiny head, but just then it lashed out at her arm with it's claws, before turning back to the boy. With renewed intensity she huffed, "Stupefy!" It flew away and landed like dead weight. She offered the boy a hand up with a deep sigh, and seeing his look, apologized quickly that she hadn't meant that for him.   
  
He seemed alright, though he took off for the Hospital Wing just in case. She suggested that the dozen or so students huddled by the tree should head back around carefully to where Hagrid could keep an eye on them. Surprisingly they followed her instruction. Ha! She thought, they listened to me! Funny. Maybe I'm all looking responsible and large-and-in-charge and all, she puffed up.   
  
Grabbing the Pogrebin by the scruff of it's neck she grabbed the little guy and dragged him back around to the front of the cabin and leaned it up outside against his cage. She glanced around the yard and by the looks of most of the Pogrebin's, the students had just knocked them out, not bothering to do the freezing charms. Quick learners, she assessed approvingly. Hagrid was sending off two girls in the direction of the castle. He hopped over to where she was standing and explained, "'Appens every single class. Don't worry 'bout it." Oh, but she did worry about it.   
  
But she had to admit, it was a very practical lesson. Something she wasn't used to and was surprised she'd performed so well. Well, a few cuts and bruises weren't so bad. Thank goodness she only had this class once a week, sighing a breath of relief. Hagrid let the class go early to whoops and hollering of the students who scattered in all directions, and promised to chat with her at dinner.   
  
Georgie walked solo back down to the dungeons. Snape was in there with his feet up and a stack of parchments in his lap. He looked up, "You're back early."   
  
"Hiya. Yep, Hagrid's class is in shambles. How did your classes go?" She walked over to her room, threw open the door and flung her outer cloak on her bed, before returning   
  
He stared at her and didn't answer for awhile. "Just not used to hearing that question. The students are impossible. The ones that had a firm grasp last year, have lost it all to a summer of idleness. Half of them don't know which animal a Jobberknoll's feather comes from." She laughed at this. "And Potter..." She tried to suppress a grin at that. She'd know he was in Snape's first class, and she wanted to hear what'd happened.   
  
"Same as always--same as his father. Cocky, too--sure of himself, above the rules, holding twittering conversations in the back. I wish I could slap him some days. Get him to wake up." She wanted to bust up inside, but restrained herself out of respect for Snape's feelings, as he still hadn't gotten used to laughing at himself.   
  
He turned his observant eye on Georgie who was mirthfully watching him from her couch, feet up. "What went wrong at Hagrid's? Though it doesn't surprise me in the least."   
  
"Pogrebin's were supposed to follow us about. Turned a bit nasty. Got to break up an attack though," she said cheerfully. To herself, she mumbled and held her arm out from her side, "Ow, but my arm's a bit stiff..." Then shaking it off went to grab her Divination book and returned.   
  
"Georgie? May I see your arm?"   
  
"Huh?" She looked up in alarm as she returned. "Nah, it's fine. Man, you've got good ears." She tried to laugh, as she hadn't realized she'd even spoken aloud.   
  
He got to his feet and approached her. "Snape really! I'm fine, I was just complaining. I complain, okay? Just sore--that's all. Sorry."   
  
He remained obstinate, "Let me see it then."   
  
"Damnit," she muttered under he breath, as Snape knelt in front of her and began to role up her sleeves. "It's nothing really..." But she broke off when she saw her arm. There was a deep gash running a few inches down the outside, it was bloodied and sticky. Her face twisted into a mask of disgust and shock. "Oh my gawd..." She whispered.   
  
Snape lifted her to her feet by her other arm, as she kept looking down at it. "Pomfrey can fix that up in a few minutes. It's no big deal at all really." She only half listened but kept staring intently at her angry red wound as he dragged her down the hallway. On arriving at the Hospital Wing she felt herself being pushed to sit down on the edge of a bed.   
  
She watched as Pomfrey poured some burning liquid onto the gash, exciting a list of expletives the poor old lady had never heard the likes of. She had snapped out of her shock enough to see Snape embarrassingly holding his head in his hands. She then did something with her wand to close the gapping laceration, then plastered on some paste that felt warm, Georgie noticed with a smile. A minute later with a bandage encircling her entire upper arm, Pomfrey pushed both her and the waiting Potions Professor out of her Hospital declaring that everything'd be as good as new by tomorrow.   
  
"Holy crap," She muttered under her breath, shaking her head unbelievingly. "I didn't even realize I had it..." She felt numb from the neck on up. She looked sideways at Snape who was looking seriously straight ahead as he gripped her elbow tightly and led her down stairs once more.   
  
She narrowed her eyes, "How did you know?"   
  
He smiled a little at the corners of his mouth. "I have never heard you complain about anything pertaining to you and your comfort before--remember, you'll even swim in the lake. If it were enough for you to say something, I recognized it must be something bad indeed."   
  
"Oh," She stepped into the lounge after him, considering something.   
  
She sat back down and put her feet up and he on his couch did the same and picked up his stack of parchment as if nothing had happened. "I was right in saying it would only take a few minutes."   
  
"Severus?" Georgie started lowly.   
  
"What is it?" He didn't look up from his work.   
  
"Thank you for listening to me babble." She meant more than that, but hoped he'd get her gist.   
  
"I don't see how I could avoid it." He monotonely teased, as she picked up her schoolbook once more.   
  
  
  
  
  
At the dinner table Georgie joked with Hagrid and didn't let on about her accident happening in his class--he'd only feel bad about it. Snape kept staring daggers down to their end of the table, at Hagrid directly, but Georgie knew the two men were friends and she intercepted a lot of the looks and shot back a few of her own for good measure. She contemplated loading up her spoon with greens as a sort of catapult-surprise for Snape.   
  
Georgie looked out into the Great Hall and got a dreamy sort of look in her eyes. She was spying so many pale-cheeked, dainty girls, with beautiful big blue eyes, and delicate smiles and perfect manners--like china dolls, she likened. She turned her open stare now on the High Table. Minerva was quite beautiful, but she hid it like it were a burden. Possessing almost a transparent skin and a pouting mouth.   
  
Sinistra looked like a gypsy--which, she might actually be. Georgie never paid much attention to her, because she was snobbish at times, and it got under her skin. Most everyone ignored her when she came to think of it.... But she was still pretty. She had a pert nose, curled-under shoulder-length hair and wore outlandish robes with heaps of jewelry.   
  
Sprout, Georgie believed, must've been pretty too, but she was old and graying now. She had a warm face and a broad smile, and crow's-feet dotted the outside of her eyes. But if she wasn't gorgeous now, at least she was the most fun and jolly Professor, which more than made up for that other stuff.   
  
Georgie frowned and turned on Snape, narrowing her eyes slowly. Hmm, she was getting an idea. Snape didn't think anyone could love him, so what he needed was a boost of self-esteem from the female direction. She bit her lip and continued to stare ugly holes into the back of Snape's head as she worked out that no female here-young or old--would fit Snape's bill. She would have to play Matchmaker--but albeit so covertly that he wouldn't suspect her of a thing. Otherwise she'd be toast; she grinned at the thought.   
  
She continued staring at him and drumming her fingers into the table as she spun her spoon in her pudding. She was woken from this action by Snape's starring back at her and mouthing "What?" He looked angry.   
  
Well duh, she was glaring at him for ten minutes for nothing. Quickly, she tried to act confused as she glanced left, and right, as if shaking herself from a stare off into space. She then turned back and shrugged, "Sorry" she mouthed, and at that he turned from her.   
  
She'd have to search out side of Hogwarts. Hogsmeade? Nah, only Rosmerta, and Rosmerta was too much woman for Snape, she laughed as a picture came to her mind.   
  
  
  
The next day she had Transfiguration with Minerva first thing in the morning, this was the class she'd been waiting for. She got to be a Teaching Assistant to a class of advanced students. She wasn't as thrilled at the actual prospect of teaching--as Minerva was to handle that, but rather at doing some hands-on instructions when the class would break into smaller groups to practice. And the class was of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors--two houses she hardly ever came in contact with.   
  
The morning started out perfectly. She stood a bit uneasily to the side as Minerva 'talked-shop', just as Minerva had explained she would earlier. But she grinned easily as she knew that these were harmless--though sometimes bumbling--students. Well, compared to her Slytherins, she puffed up proudly. They could be truly terrible, but in a few of them--especially in the twins--they seemed to be acting out against serious neglect from 'Dear old Mum and Dad.' They wanted attention and to feel their own self worth, so in a way Georgie was glad to hear about her house's antics and accomplishments. Sure it was pouring rose water on a cancer, but at least they weren't sitting alone in their rooms, pouring over parchments, mumbling to themselves as they set up devious schemes for mass murder...   
  
...Like Snape happened to be when she returned to the dungeons after her class. She stood hovering in the doorway as she beheld him bent over parchment mumbling to himself. She cleared her throat loudly, and he glanced up.   
  
"Murdering people today?"   
  
"Noooo...Not today. Why?" His eyes glinted.   
  
"No real reason," she parried as she flopped down on her couch.   
  
"With you, there's always a reason." He spoke like he didn't trust her. Georgie sighed and rolled her eyes.   
  
"I had a vision-Not like Trewlaney!" She exclaimed on seeing his face. "I had an idea of some student bent over parchments all alone in their rooms, mumbling to themselves and plotting murder. I just came in and freaked a lil' bit, but no harm done."   
  
"I do not mumble to myself." Snape insisted evenly.   
  
"But you just did!"   
  
"I did nothing of the sort."   
  
"Yeah, like you don't snore like you're sawing-logs," Georgie teased. Actually he snored only lightly and when he was exhausted, but how would he ever find out?   
  
"I can hear your snores through the walls," Snape complained.   
  
"Why do you listen at walls, you freaky-creepy!?" Georgie laughed at herself for that silly name.   
  
Snape frowned hard at her then tossed the top piece of parchment over onto the couch cushions next to her. She picked it up and read "I think that the best way to make a really good Draught of the Living Death would be wait until the person is asleep then get some stuff like, maybe cabbage and wormwood and toenails, maybe some other stuff too..."   
  
She looked up at him, "Oh my gosh that's terrible, he spelled almost all of the words wrong too. How sad....And utterly, ridiculously hilarious!" She yuck-yucked, then tossed the paper back to Snape.   
  
"Sometimes I really understand how you feel about teaching them, that was soooo bad! I'd have gone mad if I had to deal with idiots like that. It's beyond bad; it's actually dangerous. Yes, I think I can understand how you act the way you do."   
  
"How kind of you to try and understand me and my motives," he drawled, his voice tinged coldness.   
  
"Snape, I didn't mean anything by that. I meant that before--when I never had proof of the students' ineptness. Now I'll see it every single damn day...."   
  
She stopped then caught his eye before continuing. "You know how when I first met you, ya thought I'd be an idiot or a freak of nature just because I was from The Institute?"   
  
"Yes, and you haven't let me down."   
  
"Shut-up. Anyway, I think I was infinitely more prepared at that age then the majority of students here at Hogwarts." She expected Snape to jump down her throat, and defend the honor of the school.   
  
"I think that perhaps you are a special case and shouldn't be used in a comparison. I think you also miss the greater picture. Former Gryffindors, besides being headstrong and impulsive to a fault, are known for cool heads in the real world when dealing with Hexes, Charms and Transfigurations. Hufflepuffs for dealings with Magical creatures and Mediwizardry. Ravenclaw--pretty much anything that can be found in a book," He muttered dryly. "And you can probably guess who knows the most about the practical uses of Defense against the Dark Arts, as well as the instigation of these same arts." He looked tired at those words.   
  
"It's a well-rounded education, but for some reason students here seem to only take to a couple of areas--if that. Perhaps prejudices based on House-placement or family preferences, who knows. They choose to excel where they see fit to.... Such a waste." Snape snatched up his quill.   
  
  
  
  
Georgie had a free afternoon, so she'd set up to meet with Naimh and Siobhan after lunch by the lake. It was a sunny day, but a bit windy, so Georgie stopped by her room to grab a cloak after the lunch meal.   
  
She walked outside and shielded her eyes from the warm rays of sun, she spotted the two girls sitting by the shore apparently deep in conversation--one of them making grand gestures with her hands. Georgie plopped herself down between them on the grass and they both turned to look at her.   
  
"What's up?" She greeted. She usually waited for one of the girls to call the other by her name before she tried to guess which was which. She took off her glasses-she wore them only about half the time, though she was told to wear them constantly. Classes were all she allowed herself to be seen in them and now that classes were over, off they came.   
  
"We were just talking about Professor Snape. He's nasty, ya know." The girl explained. Georgie just rolled her eyes like it were the most obvious sentiment in the world to loathe Snape. "He was storming around the dungeons, sneering and threatening. I mean, It was awful because he was including Slytherins! He assigned so much homework already. It was only our first class! He's obnoxious really..."   
  
"I can always help ya guys with potions. Anytime--really." Georgie tried to console. They both calmed a little and smiled at her attempt.   
  
"Really," The other girl began, "I've had him for years and he's been really pissy last year and now this year. I used to like potions, well at least it was tolerable when Snape favored us, but now, It's going to be pure, unadulterated hell!" She moaned as she reddened.   
  
"It's because of You-Know-Who, you realize though. He was a Death Eater and now he's working for Hogwarts and Dumbledore--who's the biggest adversary. I'd be pissy too if I thought that the devil himself was after my skin." She rationalized in a low voice.   
  
"Perhaps, he's just not getting laid, or something." Okay, Georgie thought--That one's Siobhan. She was a bit bawdy and vulgar, but heaps of fun. "Not like he ever did--" She asserted quickly on seeing the looks on the other girls' faces at that comment.   
  
"Gross."   
  
"I second that. Snape's sooo not a romantic object." Georgie mused, "He and I get along better than anyone else 'cuz we have to live and work close together, but ...he's so not a Don Juan. I couldn't even picture it--NOT that I try to!" She giggled nervously.   
  
"I bet he was better looking when he was younger--maybe a better lad back then. Had a better hand at the ladies and friends and all..." Niamh imagined--always the dreamer. Her sister snapped her out of it by bopping her lightly on the side of her head and laughing.   
  
"Hey, since we're talking like this," Georgie glanced around her for effect. "You can't tell a single soul about any of what I'm about to relate to you.   
  
Siobhan put her hand to her heart, "I give you my word as an Irishwoman," she vowed solemnly and evenly.   
  
"God, girl! If you say that she really won't be believing us!" Her sister twittered.   
  
"Okay. I was thinking about helping Professor Snape get a date or a friend or something." The twins stared at her like she had a horrible disease.   
  
She explained quickly. "Look, he's really an okay guy when you get to know him, deep, deep, deep....deep down." Niamh rolled her eyes at this. "He's a good friend. He's older, ya know. And Hogwarts is his life. He's kinda given up on having a woman. I reckon that if I put an ad in a paper or something and start up a correspondence, perhaps he might hook up with her."   
  
Siobhan shook her head, "Nah, won't work. He'd never agree to meet her and most of the girls in Britain have heard about him, or had him at school. People aren't purposely looking to get punished you know."   
  
Niamh was starting to get a look in her eye, she was thinking far-off dreamy thoughts. "What a challenge, though! Think of it: The unlovable man gets a little prodding and he blossoms under the influence of love to everything that is amiable and attractive."   
  
Georgie and Siobhan laughed at this heartily. Niamh looked back at then and grinned embarrassedly, "What?"   
  
Georgie chuckled, "Dear, I don't think anything could get Snape to be 'amiable.' But you're seeing my point. He deserves some happiness, and heck it might help your plight in classes if his mind is occupied by some fair dainty thing...I am doing it. He's my friend and I'm giving it a go for his sake."   
  
Siobhan smirked, "Good. If there wasn't a self-serving reason to this, I couldn't rationalize spending time trying to help Snape the Snake's love life. Now I've got one. So what'll we do now?"   
  
"We can try and write the ad first. Let's meet after dinner and try and brainstorm. Damn, we'll have to describe his preferences--I haven't a clue. Have you?" Georgie knew that hadn't. She couldn't just out and ask Snape wanted in a woman. Could she? She smiled broadly.   
  
Georgie sighed, "I'll work on it. Listen, I'm excited we're gonna do this together. I'd probably make the ad something awful and not get a single taker. You guys have got to keep me grounded!" Georgie hopped to her feet. Considering for a moment, she remembered that Snape had an afternoon class, but he might be getting back anytime now.   
  
"I'm gonna go and attack Snape for information. Wish me luck," she grimaced. Both girls held up crossed fingers to her and waved her off. If she was really going to do this she was going to have to do it now. Her stomach felt topsy-turvy-like as she crossed the grounds for the building, her fists clenched themselves nervously. Geesh, I hope I don't vomit on the floor or anything! She opened the door and went inside.   
  
  
  
  
Snape pushed open the door and saw Georgie sitting with her back turned towards him on the couch. He shifted his books and papers to his other arm and shut the door quickly behind him. She followed him with her eyes not saying a word. He deposited his books on his desk in his room then returned out to the lounge.   
  
"Why are you inside when it's such a fine day?"   
  
"You sound like my mother--when I was eight." She sneered, whether at him or her mother he couldn't tell.   
  
He lay back on the couch carefully, then summoned a reading book to his hand from the bookshelf. Before he could get started though, Georgie cleared her throat. Great, just great. What has she got to say now? He frowned and looked at her waiting for her to continue.   
  
He had had a bad day--even by his standards. Several students caused accidents and explosions all throughout the day. If they would only listen to what he said--none of this would have happened. But some students felt themselves above rules and procedure. Not one of them thought of the consequences, the injuries that they could inflict on others. Sure, then they'd say that they didn't mean to--it was an accident. No, he'd snarled at the class, if it were an accident you'd not be doing it every day, in every class.   
  
In addition he was getting worried about Voldemort's meetings with him, though he hardly liked admitting his fears to himself. Snape believed that his loyalty was being tested, that he would be found out, and ultimately fail to protect Potter. His body be damned, he had handled the Cruciatus curse before--always by Voldemort's own hand, yet still...one never gets used to something like that. But Potter was a boy, a defenseless, sniveling, and ignorant boy. He owed it to his father, and to Dumbledore to make sure Harry saw it to adulthood. Owed it even to himself, he thought at the back of his mind; he really couldn't stomach any child coming to harm. But he pushed that away from his mind. He wasn't going to go soft and he sure could have throttled several students today, he gritted his teeth.   
  
Georgie's strong voice brought him back to the present. "Earth to Snape?" She called again.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Can I ask you a foolish question?" She didn't meet his eyes. Oh, this is going to be rich, he lamented.   
  
"Hasn't stopped you before."   
  
"What do you look for in a women?"   
  
Snape wasn't expecting anything along those lines. He stared at her embarrassed face, blinking occasionally in the silence.   
  
"I don't look for women." He acknowledged, which Snape thought was very truthful, and might possibly get her off the track.   
  
"Well, if you were to look for women then." No such luck, he grunted.   
  
Snape sat upright and cracked his long thin fingers together, then brought his fist up to his mouth. "I'm not sure I understand what you are asking." His eyes narrowed at her made her feel immediately ill at ease.   
  
"Though whole burrito so to say. Tall, pretty, kind, blonde, likes to cook, likes to go jogging... hell I don't know. What'd be your ideal women, I guess."   
  
"Why do you want to know?" He hissed and tensed.   
  
"Research project." In some ways this was true. She was doing research for a sort of project.   
  
Snape's eyes flashed as he began, "What sort of research project? And for whom?" He noticed a quill and parchment sitting in her knees that he hadn't noticed before.   
  
Georgie knew he might ask these, so she smiled and said "Divination." She had figured that if she had tried to do a reading for Snape during the next class then she technically wouldn't be being untruthful. She just needed the true answers to compare her own results to; it looked logical from that standpoint. It was also a great answer because Snape hated Trewlany and had the least contact with her than with any other instructor. He wouldn't question it. He probably had no clue what was happening up in that tower during classes. For all he knew they all sat about, ate crayons and mooed at each other.   
  
"Couldn't you ask someone else?" He winced. If this got out he would murder her. Murder her and strangle her and hex her....   
  
"No, I have to get three different answers and you'd be the last one." She turned a syrupy smile on him. "Please? You'd be doing my a huge-a-mongus favor!" She burped, put her hand to her mouth mumbled cheerily, "'Scuse me."   
  
"I don't see any real harm," He stared her down. " I really can't see what the imbecile Trewlaney would need with such information, but, well it is Sibyll..."   
  
He sat back and looked at the door absently. He sighed, figured he might as well get it over with as fast as he could:   
  
"Okay. Female. Smart. Good. Just . Good hygiene. Good sense of humor. Must be fond of Potions (here Georgie rolled her eyes). Capable of intelligent and serious conversation. Independent. Must NOT go jogging. Kind. Courageous. Unconventional. Forgiving. Discerning. Wicked." His voice dropped off, and Georgie continued scratching away with her quill for a few more seconds.   
  
On finishing she looked up at him, "What do you mean wicked? You said 'good' but also 'wicked?' I don't get it." Actually she did and he thought she did also, but she just wanted to make him explain.   
  
"By that I meant 'not too good,' someone who had the capability but wasn't. But you're right, it makes no sense, so scratch that out." He was feeling irritated. Georgie didn't scratch it out.   
  
"But what about like physical appearance, blood lines, money, health, height...all that stuff?" She pressed.   
  
"I don't give one whit about any of those things." Georgie looked at him; she didn't believe him.   
  
He didn't know why he was bothering to explain anything to that girl. "Okay, fine. She has to be drop dead gorgeous. I wouldn't take anything else." He didn't elaborate though. Georgie took back up her quill and smiled to herself with a look of satisfaction. He sneered at her. If she was just going to take what she wanted to hear, this interview couldn't be getting anywhere.   
  
"Full-blooded?" She looked up at him.   
  
"Don't care really." He said seriously.   
  
"What?!" Georgie howled. "But you're always pumping those bastard Slytherins full of Pure Blood shit. What the hell!" She screeched.   
  
"Georgie, no one is pureblooded anymore. If they were they'd be insane from the interbreeding. All the oldest houses have mixes." Snape clarified. "And don't call your own house members bastards."   
  
"Even your family?"   
  
"Of course." He admitted, enjoying the shock on her face, and smiling slightly at it.   
  
"Holy crap. I feel as I were just handed the moon and told that it was really the size of a peanut!"   
  
"The truth is oftentimes more interesting than the fiction." He leaned forward and heaved a breath, "Anything else."   
  
"Humma-humma," she pretended to mumble in shock. Looking back at him finally she threw down her quill and then proceeded to bad-mouth Trewlaney. It seemed the only logical thing to do to change the subject and get Snape's suspicious mind off the question, she grinned evilly afterwards.   
  
Georgie thanked Snape for his help, then pointed at his book that had been set-aside on the table, "Okay, now...Fetch!" She condescended.   
  
He stood up, "I must retrieve something from my office." She sniffed at the word 'retrieve.'   
  
"Would you like me to bring anything back for you? Nightshade goes wonderfully with Diet Coke, I've heard..." His eyes danced tauntingly at her, before sweeping back to his classroom.   
  
  
  
  
Later in the library Madam Pince kept glancing up to the three heads huddled together in the corner table beneath the darkened windows. She'd reminded them twice already to keep their voices, or rather laughter, to a minimum. But she hadn't the heart to do it again. The girls were with the new student Georgie and it went against the grain to tell another adult to keep quiet. She grabbed a stack of books that needed reshelving and walked off, pretending she didn't hear.   
  
"Okay, How about this?" Siobhan cleared her throat and looked at the other two girls to see if she had their complete attention. She began, "Single white male searching for Miss Right. Must be intelligent, kind and understanding. Also just and discerning. Appearance not important. A companion to a man too long occupied by career and duty." Niamh gagged, so Siobhan stopped and shot her a look. "A friendship first then we can see what happens next, please reply if you think you're the one for this mysterious, lonely, solitary man, drop an owl and we'll see if we can make magic together. Signed: PotionLuvR."   
  
"Bloody hell that's awful. Only boring girls will write him, or the hopelessly desperate ones." Siobhan throw the much scratched-out and edited advertisement on the table between them.   
  
"Georgie, I really don't see how you can get away with this," Niamh fidgeted uneasily. "I mean if he gets responses back, and girls'd want to meet him... He's going to skin you alive and run you up a pole."   
  
"Well, I plan on just picking a few of them out and then explaining that these are friends of friends..." The twins looked at her disapprovingly.   
  
"I know, "Georgie admitted. "It's a rash and stupid plan. But I figure if this works out he'll thank me. If not, the most he can legally do is declare war on me for a few weeks. At least I'd have tried to help the overgrown bat out...Don't worry about me girls, I'm going into this with both eyes open, and damn the consequences." She sounded stronger than she felt. She was starting to get cold feet about actually sending it in to the Daily Prophet.   
  
What if no one answered? Well that'd be a bit of a relief actually, and Snape wouldn't be the wiser to it. If she got back heaps of replies, then there might be some trouble. She figured she could tell the ladies that she was his best friend and doing it on his behalf, but she still would have no idea how to get them together....   
  
The twins and her gabbed for an hour more, about Siobhan's crush in Hufflepuff--"Honestly, Siobhan, you'll crush on any boy who'll smile at ya and give ya the time of day!" Her sister lamented.   
  
They giggled when Georgie admitted she found the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor quite fetching, in a mysterious sort of way. Both the other girls agreed on that and they gossiped about what his mysterious secret could be. Georgie of course knew, but didn't dare tell, even though most of the students remembered what it had been a couple of years ago, she just didn't feel it'd help Lupin out if she reminded everyone. Niamh was sure, he had a tragic lost-love sort of a history, but Siobhan was positive it was a darker one. "Perhaps he was a Death Eater, like Snape." She ventured.   
  
"Nah, couldn't see him doing something like that. He's too reclusive and independent to join a group of raving lunatics traipsing about the countryside in matching outfits." Georgie laughed at her own picture.   
  
"You know what I want?" Georgie gazed out the blackened window and pursed her lips in thought.   
  
"What?" the girls both asked in unison.   
  
"A harmonica." Then she looked at them and grinned happily. She'd been joking, but she wasn't going to let them know that. With that she stood up and stretched her arms above her head in a tall stretch. Grabbing up the parchment and her quill, "Man, I gotta run. I'll see you both tomorrow. I'm going to the owlery to get this off tonight." Before I change my mind.   
  
She waved at the two girls, Siobhan still looking confused at the harmonica bit.... 


	11. Chapter Eleven Corrosives

Chapter Eleven--Corrosives  
  
  
  
A/N: I'm having a girl friend imput now (Yea), as she thinks I'm 'lacking insight and feeling'. Hoorah. I'm humouring her for a few chapters. Mush, IMHO.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Georgie descended the owlery steps and walked down the hallway towards the main staircase. She paused as she crossed Minerva's open door. Minerva wasn't there but the light was on. Perhaps she was out on her own evening rounds or chatting with Dumbledore. Whenever Snape wasn't about in the evening, he was usually chatting with his friend Albus, playing chess, or doing manly things...or else he were out on an assignment. She always hoped he was up there kicking Dumbledore's ass at Wizarding chess when discovered t be absent.  
  
  
  
  
She skirted back to dungeons, and called out goodnights to several students in the Common Room. She burst through the door smirking dopily. Snape looked up at her then returned his attentions to his book.   
  
"So..." She walked behind the couch he was perched on. "When are we going to be doing some horrifically dangerous and illegal potion-brewing?"  
  
Them man glanced up, slightly surprised, but pleased. "In that big of a hurry?"  
  
"Yup, I love making things go boom!" She teased, then covered up quickly by adding sternly, "And not go boom also...I miss it. I have only gotten to make some sleeping potions and some other stuff..." Her voice trailed off. There were some things she tried to keep as her own secrets around here.  
  
"What would you like to work on?"  
  
"Something corrosive."  
  
He starred at her shocked. "Why?" setting his book aside.  
  
"Poisons, I'd be too tempted to use on you. Combustibles, on Draco Malfoy." Draco had said something about her accent the day before, and she was still a little sore about it. "Invisibles, on Hogsmeade. Everything else is too simple for me. Fame, Glory, Power, Love...don't need any of those as they're not real anyway...." Her eyes were squinting up in glee. "I see Corrosives as the only thing that I can't come up with a violently active use for. Can you?" She baited.  
  
He ignored that, then suggested, "How about Healing? Levitation? Mind Altercations? Temptations? Illusions?" She shook her head on each one as she sat down.  
  
"I'll get to those all in turn, but what I'd really, really love to do first would be a corrosive." She crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly.  
  
"Again, I ask you the real reason why."   
  
"Truth?"  
  
"Always." He stared hard down at her.  
  
"I want a tunnel in my room to the kitchens." She said without emotion.  
  
Snape's head fell backwards and he shook with silent laughter. Georgie pouted at him. "It's not funny. It's true."  
  
He gathered his wits about him, never losing control for longer then a few seconds ever-though more than usual with Georgie. "Of course, I will assist you in anyway I can. Anything to get you out of here more often."  
  
"How noble," Georgie mocked.  
  
"Yeah, you know me. Noble." He spat.  
  
"Hey, Snape?"  
  
"Why am I starting to dread those words and that tone?" He challenged.  
  
"Shut-up. Anyway, you remember when once I told you to die, and you said if I wished it?" She watched his face for any sort of recognition to the conversation she alluded to. He slowly nodded, his mouth a thin line.  
  
"Don't ever say that again--even as a joke. I still have bad vibes about it." He raised his eyebrows on hearing that. Georgie jumped up to her feet, mumbling about grabbing her schoolbooks for Herbology tomorrow.  
  
She returned with two books under her arm and set into reading, her brow furled in concentration. Every so often she'd scratch her head, or frown, or smile all in response to her reading. Once again Snape was struck by how expressive her face was. It wasn't merely her eyes-as they squinted up into unreadable slits when she smiled or laughed. It was her mouth. She grinned unabashedly, twisted the sides up amusedly, bit her lip--It was like watching a show at the theatre. She set her finger on the top of her broad, flat nose and left it there, tapping it occasionally when in deep thought.  
  
"Georgie?"  
  
She looked up and whisked her finger off of her nose.  
  
"Why do you only call me Snape?" He had wondered that for sometime and was waiting for an opportune time to bring it up. This really wasn't that time, but oh well.  
  
"Huh?" She grunted, clearly not following his train of thinking.  
  
"You call me Snape and some other rather foul names, but mostly Snape. Never Severus." He pronounced matter-of-factly.  
  
She looked down for a second, "Uh, Everyone else calls you Snape. You told me not to call you Severus in front of other students. Hmmm..." She broke off for a second. "I don't know why I only call you Snape. What would you like me to call you?" She reasoned.  
  
"Snape." Georgie snorted at this. "Or Severus." He added.  
  
"Okily, dokily, Dorkily." She rolled her eyes ceiling-ward and shook her head lightly. "You didn't call me Sugar Lips though. See, I do have a good memory." She pointed out.  
  
"Not happening. Ever. But nice try."  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Sugar Lips?" hopefully.  
  
"Georgie!" He snarled exasperatedly.   
  
"I want a snack. Want something?" She changed the subject unwillingly.  
  
"No." He looked coolly at her.  
  
"Come on. How about some Ginger or Banana Bread? I know you like it, so I'll ask for some if they've got it." She stood up hastily, dumping her things on the floor. She bent over awkwardly and set the books on top of the table. "See? This would be the time to use my secret passageway to the kitchens. But no-oo. I have to use my feet just like everyone else, damnit."  
  
Standing straight up, she sighed, then hurled herself over the back of the couch and lunged at the door. "I'm off. Be back in few. Aloha." And she left.  
  
  
  
  
  
She returned with a large bag in her hands and used her foot to open the door. "Aloha. I swear that it pays to live with you. Perhaps I'd get stopped in the hallways if I were a mere normal student. But I live with Snape. It's like I have free reign of the castle, go where I want, whenever I want--no one stops me." She set the things down on the table, and knocked aside her books. "I'm thinking they're all scared of you or some such nonsense..." She sat down out of breath.  
  
"Why did you say Aloha again?"   
  
"It's a Hawaiian greeting for 'hullo' and 'goodbye.' Oh, and 'love' too."  
  
"Doesn't that become confusing?" He asked, sitting forward so he could rifle through the bag, setting aside the Diet Cokes in front of his friend.  
  
"Nah. It's all in the situation. If you just walk up to someone on the street then you greet them with the Aloha meaning hello. When your conversation is done, Aloha--goodbye. The second Aloha in a single conversation with is someone is usually the goodbye one, as a-rule-of-thumb. If you're saying Aloha--love to someone, they probably know that you already love them, and you don't need to explain it." She unwrapped some cakes. "Makes sense, huh? It's all in the context."  
  
Snape had found the Gingerbread and was unwrapping it. "If I eat like this with you for the next year, I'll get fat." He mused good-naturedly and indicated the loaf.  
  
"Hardly." Georgie mumbled with her mouth full of food. She swallowed and laughed. "You're a walking stick-figure of a man. No meat at all on your thin person. It'd take longer than a year to get you 'fat.' Skinny, skinny, skinny..." She belched loudly.  
  
He frowned and looked down at his body, as if he had forgotten what he looked like.  
  
"You might also try integrating color into your wardrobe. Black is a slimming color-makes you look skinnier than you are by illusion or something-Muggle magazine said so." She grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Thank you, but I have no desire nor need for a make-over." He was still looking down at himself.   
  
He looked at her alternating between crisps and Diet Cokes now. "Are your family Muggles?" He couldn't believe he hadn't asked her before.  
  
She chewed slower and narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "Does it matter?"  
  
"No." He answered truthfully, trying to convey that in his tone.  
  
"Okily, here's what happened. My Mom is Canadian, she's full blood. She doesn't give a rat's ass about that because in Canada, no one cares. My dad's English. He's full blood too, but he's lived in Canada for the past almost 30 years. I was adopted; my mom and dad couldn't have kids-real sad. My biological parents were killed-don't know the story, so don't ask. I don't care. As far as records are kept in adoptions, well in Wizard adoptions--which don't go far at all--I'm full. But I honestly doubt I am. I love Twinkies too much, must be a Muggle somewhere to give me that love of sugary goodness. Besides, most Polynesians are mixed anyway. It just happens when you're stuck on islands..."  
  
She took a bite and chewed for a few moments in silence before continuing. "I think full-blood means absolutely nothing. Hell, I'd rather spend my time with Muggles than almost 90% of the Wizards. Magic makes people stop using their imaginations and ingenuity. Magic makes us lazy. Muggles are exciting. I dunno, that's just how I feel about it." And she got suddenly very interested in her crisps.  
  
"Filch is full-blood." Snape volunteered.  
  
Georgie looked up amazed. "Really? Who'd have thought?" She chuckled to herself. Just more proof....  
  
"I hate Slytherins." She spat.  
  
"Why?" His eyes flashed. She knew he was proud of his House.  
  
"Full-blood crap, alienating perfectly fine people. It's not a very just or logical system."  
  
He nodded silently. "True. Slytherin inherently has deep problems--more so than all the other houses combined. But it makes you who you are, therefore one should be proud." He seemed to be parroting someone else.  
  
"You're proud of the friends you had here? Of the things they pressured you to do? Of what you did?" Georgie asked delicately.  
  
Snape didn't seem to be offended. "I figure that I am a different and a improved person for what I've experienced and lived through. It has shaped me and changed me, from the moment I walked into the school for the first time, to my arm being marked by Voldemort, to my running back to Dumbledore tail between my legs begging him to put me out of my misery." Georgie hadn't known that, and bit her lip. "Then the spying..."  
  
"What about those who still subscribe to Voldemort's lies? What about those who died for his cause? What of them? What of the people they killed?"  
  
"I'm not saying it was the right thing to do. But I feel that in my special case, my experiences have made me see the truth in things. They've helped me to value true friendships, to not want an easy way out, to be cautious with my life and with others'. I think for some people they have to take a visit to hell before they truly realize how very horrible and hot it can get-they have to sink down as far as possible, before it's possible for them to climb out of the pit, so to say. It's like how some people don't know what they have until it's gone."  
  
"So many though, never climbed out of that pit, and preferred to stay in that hell. Is that worth it? Is the experiences, the curiosity, worth the dying?" She didn't see how this would justify so many Death Eaters, so many stealth killings, over so many years...and it was still happening.  
  
"I would say yes. At least they're truthful-that's their true forms. They were and are sick and horribly evil people. Myself included. But the experiences that I've made it out alive from, I've learned from them taken from them what I could. I'd be a different person if I were sorted into Ravenclaw. Perhaps, I'd be endlessly happy, with 20 children, a nice wife and know not a thing about Potions, who knows? Which is better? Who knows? It's the choices we make that bring us to where we are today-that make us who we are today."  
  
"But, So long as there's good, there's going to bad to keep the goodness in check. I don't want to say it was bound to happen anyway, but well, that's really the true gist of things. Logically, Bad happens. And Bad needs Bad People to do it's bidding. I was just stupid enough to follow." He ended solemnly.   
  
Georgie nodded understandingly. "Severus, how'd you get to be so wise?" She said slowly and seriously.  
  
"Experiences." He sort of grinned.  
  
"I'm chucking this book idea," She threw her schoolbooks over her shoulder and into her open doorway. "Experiences are way better."  
  
"I think not." He said slowly. Picking at his Gingerbread once more. Then settling back onto his couch, he stretched out and posed nonchalantly, "May I ask you something?"  
  
"Anything." She grinned. She knew he wouldn't, out of propriety or whatever, ask her certain things, so she could say that with no fears. But he had need to worry at a question such as that because Georgie didn't believe in a question that couldn't be asked. However she was indeed taken aback on this one.  
  
"What do you look for in a man?"  
  
"Breathing's always good." She chided.   
  
"Be serious!"   
  
"I am!" She insisted, "That's really at the top of my list. Why?"  
  
He glared at her unhappily. She glared right back at him.  
  
"I wish to embarrass you." He said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Oh well, then let me just assist you..." She shot him a dirty look. "Geesh!"  
  
"So...?"  
  
"I'm not looking for a man." She still teased. "Okay fine, um....How about: Tall, dark and handsome? Disco-dancer, or maybe an artist or a musician....dishy, dreamy boy. Smart, good, kind, funny as all hell...." She twisted her lower lip between her teeth. "A lot of my answers would be the same as yours-pretty common answers really. I've not given it all that much thought." Her eyes took on an unusual misted-over shade. "Perhaps, someone who needed me-it's nice to be needed. Someone who enjoyed music and reading and wine...good conversation... Damnit!"   
  
She snapped out of her day-dreaming, and turned on Snape. "I'm copying yours! Now I can't even come up with one on my own. You suck!" She accused; while he just sat there looking amused and pleased with himself. That look of his vexed her to no end.  
  
"I didn't know you like wine." He recognized.  
  
"Yeah, well I didn't know you liked 'wicked' either." She parried.  
  
"It just seems, well, a very mature taste to have." He raised one eyebrow at her, allowing her time to explain, but she didn't. "You're forever drinking Coke and juice. And to top it all off, your behavior is, well...young." He thought that was a safe-enough adjective.  
  
"Hell, I surprise everyone sometimes," she shrugged. "Yes it's true!" She sounded like one giving a confession. "At times I don't bounce about acting like a five year-old, screaming like a banshee, playing tricks and telling jokes and skirting responsibility. Sometimes, I think deep thoughts, stay quiet enough to hold an intelligent conversation, drink wines, dress nicely and act my age. But that's not any fun is it?" She winked at him depravedly. "I try to do that only in dire emergencies."  
  
Snape nodded, while raising one eyebrow. He'd hate to see the emergency that would make her act anything other than what she usually was. "Fair enough."  
  
"Embarrassing enough?" She prodded.  
  
"Not hardly."  
  
"Figures. Severus Snape--the dark man who must always have the last word of everything, and must always have something to hold over your head for leverage. Pity really... He misses out on such 'wicked'," She threw in his direction, "good times while he's brooding over which card to play and how best to keep up his emotional impenetrable wall."  
  
"Spare me, Georgie." He spat. But as he sat back against the couch cushions he seemed to be considering something. A moment later, "Can't you ever hold a conversation without some moral anecdote or something like that?"  
  
"No I can't," She smiled gaily. "It's not my way. Why? Bother you?"  
  
"No." He retorted sternly from where he sat.  
  
  
  
  
He sighed a few minutes later. Georgie noted it as Snape rarely let out such a...What? Humanizing, emotional, weak, friendly emotion. She expected him to make some earth-shattering announcement, but he didn't say a word. Georgie couldn't even hear him breathe, nor did he move; and if she didn't see his eyes blink ever so often, she'd probably think he was dead. That was another thing that bugged her-Her eyes flew up, as suddenly, lightning lit up the sky outside. Damn. Another storm, well no wandering around the grounds tonight, she pouted as the rain slowly began to beat against their high window. She looked at Snape, seemingly lost I his own la-la-land.   
  
Georgie blinked ever few seconds. Sometimes she believed her eyes to be too small, or too dry---probably neither were true. But Snape didn't blink. Sometimes she thought people who didn't blink were creepy--too starring, too robotic. She smiled inwardly at the Muggle word. Snape wouldn't know a robot if it came up and bit him on the kneecap. Perhaps, her mind was reeling, Snape was a robot--planted here by Voldemort to spy in Hogwarts--to get to Potter. Was Snape a robot? Georgie answered herself internally. Nah, Voldemort wouldn't stoop to Muggle inventions-he'd probably use a Golem, or a polyjuice potion.  
  
"Snape? Are you really Severus, or a robot? Or someone else?" She eyed him suspiciously, but trying to keep the laughter inside of her from bubbling out.  
  
"What the devil are you talking about? You're crazy." He widened his eyes and tried to make her feel as small as he could.  
  
"So are you really Severus?" She pushed.  
  
"Yes!" He bellowed, his patience never long-suffering.  
  
"Good." She let her laugh out. "I thought so anyway."  
  
"Are you being paranoid, or foolish?"  
  
"A little of both, thanks for asking." That was truthful enough.  
  
  
  
  
The rain continued on beating down the old castle walls and windows for several weeks. It was a bad stroke of luck and Georgie's sunny demeanor soon mirrored the murky weather outside. One evening Georgie had returned from Herbology, soaked to the skin. She entered into the lounge and slowly swished and dripped over to the high-set window and pressed her nose almost against the glass. It was foggy and the rain came down with no end in sight. Georgie sighed deeply and examined the grounds as she spied Fang-Hagrid's hound-take off across the lawn.  
  
"The weather doesn't suit you?" Georgie almost jumped out of her skin. She spun around and slammed her back to the window as she scanned the room.  
  
Snape was sitting on the couch she'd just walked by. How could she have not seen him? She must be losing it. "Were you here the entire time?" She gasped, shocked.  
  
He smirked, "Yes, the entire time."  
  
She wrung her hands and her head, "Man, I must be losing it..." voicing her fears.  
  
"No, You're just jumpy. Always have been. I knew you hadn't seen me when you dashed in." He droned.  
  
She ignored that and pushed her door open. She hung up her school robes on a hook at the end of her wardrobe--sure it'd make a puddle, but not a large enough one for her to do anything about it. She brushed her hair in front of her tiny mirror for a few moments, yanking out the ever-present snarls. She knew if she paid more attention to grooming habits and all, she would have less tearing-out to do, but she always reasoned with herself that she had better things to do.  
  
She slipped out of her rain-heavy clothing, and threw it in a heap by her wardrobe-she'd hang them up in the bathroom later. She flung open the wardrobe doors and snatched up a woolen sweater and a pair of corduroy pants. They were perhaps 2 sizes too big, but big was the style these days. Poking about until she found a clean pair of socks she slipped them on and strode back to Snape.  
  
She flopped over the back of her couch and rolled onto her stomach. She pulled out her wand and murmured "Incendio," then pocketed it once more.  
  
She flipped onto her back and wriggled her toes now that she was toasty warm. Snape looked at her. "What? Too warm?" She inquired.  
  
"No. Just fine." And he looked away. Georgie shrugged it off. She was probably doing something odd once again and hadn't realized it. She summoned for two hair bands, and on fastening them to her wrists, began to braid her wet hair. She was doing two braids-one on each side of her head, like pigtails. Every few knots, she'd grumble lightly and undo, then start again.  
  
When she tied the second one off, she looked up and Snape was giving her an odd look, but he turned away quickly as if not wishing to be caught.  
  
"Severus?"  
  
"Nothing, you just look... pastoral."  
  
"Uh, thanks. I think..." He voice trailed off.  
  
"And...young." He added, speaking into his lap.  
  
"Gee, that's the look I was going for...." She returned smartly. Georgie settled down against the pillows and closed her eyes, maybe she could just rest here until dinner. It had been a full day....  
  
So many things to think about. Snape's ad had run last week, and already there were a handful of answers. Siobhan and Niamh and herself had giggled over some of them, tossing them aside: too old, too far away, too stupid... This wasn't going to be easy.   
  
But, they'd all given favorable nods to the one received that morning. Everyone at the staff table had by that day finished with teasing Georgie, on account of the numerous owls the first morning all swooping down to her. This lady sounded...well, good. Like a possibility. She was 30 years old and she worked for the ministry. She said she enjoyed the quiet life and also walking outdoors. She read poetry and enjoyed 'refreshing discourse.' Georgie didn't know of Snape liked the outdoors, but he had to. She introduced herself as Orris McDade, which seemed a normal enough name, though a bit old-fashioned. The twins urged her to respond that night after dinner. Her stomach was doing flip-flops. What should she say? How could she puff up Snape? Hmmm....  
  
Snape's voice brought her back to the present she opened her eyes, blinkingly. He towered directly above her. "Georgie?" He repeated.  
  
"Wha'?  
  
"Dinner. You coming?" He extended his cold hand to her. She accepted it gratefully and was lifted to her feet easily. "Wow, you're stronger than you look, stick-boy." She grinned. She stumbled into her room and slipped on her shoes and returned to find Snape standing by the door to the Common Room looking impatient. "Any day now." He growled.  
  
  
  
  
After dinner Georgie hastened back to the dungeons, practically shoveling food into her mouth. Hagrid freaked out when she had choked on her beef, but she held up her hand and sputtering, she smiled and assured him that she was fine.   
  
She hoped Snape wouldn't hover around her and watch what she was doing. She wouldn't do it if he was watching her, obviously. But she wanted to get the ball rolling for him on this. Hell, she didn't get this excited when she were dating herself.  
  
She cautiously turned the door handle and heaved a sigh when she saw he wasn't there. She pushed it open and slid inside. She quickly gathered her quill, a bottle of ink and some fancy parchment, then returned out to sit down in front of the fire on the floor. She spread her tools out before her.  
  
Suddenly the door lurched open and Snape appeared, finding her eyes peering over the end of the couch at him. She looked a bit upset at him showing up, but tried to mask that, because he'd get suspicious and this were more his room than hers. But, oh what timing, her thoughts moaned.  
  
"What are you up to?" He glanced down at her sitting cross-legged on the floor.  
  
"No good." She retorted defiantly.  
  
He nodded and walked to his room.  
  
Georgie didn't move an inch to touch her papers or quills while he was next door. Her mind reeled, trying to figure where she should go. She brought her hand down over the length of her face, and paused, "Damn, I've got a zit." She grumbled, as she discovered the spot.  
  
Snape returned, and strode over until he was directly behind her. She flipped her head straight back and up to look at him in the face.  
  
"You're frowning." He pointed out expressionless.  
  
"Observant, aren't we? I've got a zit." She repeated. But her frown grew deeper, into the look of dread and distaste as she spotted the black cloak over his arm. He had been perhaps hiding it from her view, but not very effectively.   
  
He followed her eyes to the object which he held in his hands. "I'm going out tonight." He set his jaw rigidly. "Could you do the rounds tonight."  
  
Georgie hesitated for a moment, not wanting to say anything. She should tell him, no, do your own damn rounds--and while you're at it, stop going out spying and risking your life! But she felt sad and drained. He was the good guy, doing the good thing-for all of them, even her. "Yes." She whispered. She turned away quickly to the papers and the bottle of ink, sometimes she was so disgusted with herself-she was so selfish-really. She felt ill. She examined her fingernails and poked down the cuticles, expecting Snape to walk away at any moment.  
  
She didn't look up as he swept from the room, but she heard the door close behind him. Man, she'd been hoping he wouldn't be here tonight, but this wasn't what she'd been asking for exactly. She began to feel guilty, but pushed that thought out quickly. Instead she reached her broad palm out and lifted the quill.  
  
  
  
  
Several hours later, Georgie had what she hoped would be the finished draft. She'd sought out Siobhan and Niamh in the Common Room and they'd approved of it, so it would be sent tonight. Niamh was starting to get cold feet. What if Professor Snape found out? What if he found out they'd all been involved? But Georgie calmed her fears and promised that since it was her idea, and she would have done this without their permission or assistance, and since she were prepared and able to handle Snape's certain wrath--she'd claim all responsibility.  
  
The letter was a full sheet of parchment long. It explained how Georgie, a great friend of the shy and elusive Mr. Snape, was doing this on his behalf. It detailed a few more of his habits and, a-hem, charming points, and then went on to say that if she thought a meeting was at all possible Georgie would introduce Ms. McDade as a friend and they'd both see how Snape would take to her.  
  
She crossed her fingers as she winded her way up to the owlery that Ms. McDade was understanding of the situation and willing to meet sometime. Georgie hadn't the foggiest of where or when. She plucked down an owl from the corner and quickly tied the letter to it's feet. The owl nibbled at her hand as she took an extra long time fastening it on properly. Finally satisfied she walked with the owl towards the window, murmuring, "Sorry, the weather's so awful..." The owl seemed to understand and cocked it's head to the side before it took off from her arm into the blustery night.  
  
Now that that's done.... She felt a weight off of her mind now that it was done, but she still felt heavy enough. Perhaps it was something I ate, she posed? Before hoping down the stairs to begin her rounds.  
  
Rounds were a brain-dead activity for Georgie. She never ran into anyone doing anything--except the occasional teacher. Even if she were to come across someone, she didn't think she'd have the heart to dock many--if any--points from their house. She hummed to herself as she kept stealing glances at her watch in the patches of light from torches hung high in main corridors. She'd just be out here, wandering about, for a reasonable time, and then she'd head back and read or burn stuff.... She didn't rightly care which.  
  
Right before she figured it were time to get back-there was a nasty draft coming from somewhere, she mused-she stopped by the kitchens. The house-elves gathered about her. Gee, you'd think they didn't get too many visitors. Georgie felt awful disappointing them, turning down conversation and card games, but she accepted some Banana bread for Snape, though she couldn't stand the stuff.   
  
One elf offered her some Diet Cokes and some juices, even butterbeers, Georgie smiled wanly, and asked if they had anything stronger. The majority of the short creatures just turned to each other, appearing confused. But one confidant boy-elf marched to the front and passed a bottle into her hands. She looked down at it, but it was unmarked. She smiled, devilishly and thanked him, then all of them, as she backed towards the exit.  
  
Walking briskly homeward, she rationalized that tomorrow was a Saturday and she was caught up with schoolwork, no plans... And besides, she sighed, I just want to forget stuff. She set her will and marched off to the dungeons.  
  
It had been 2 o'clock the last time she looked at her watch, and Snape hadn't returned. For all she knew, he might be gone all weekend-she hadn't asked. But really, she'd be better off not fretting and carrying on. The bottle lay on the ground between her couch and the table, empty. The elf was correct, that it was stronger than butterbeer, but not as strong as Muggle stuff. Still, when the bottle was done her eyelids were dropping down heavily and she fought them. The last thing she remembered was watching the flames from her fire dance and twinkle and spin before her eyes, but the fire's cackling and blowing sounds seemed to be out of sync with the actual movements.  
  
Georgie didn't dream, She never dreamed. She knew full well that everyone did in fact dream, just others were better at remembering them afterwards. Still Georgie seemed to think that this rule didn't apply to her. She did not dream. The last dream she could remember was a nightmare when she was 15. Something about having to defend her house against invaders with the help of her football team-it seemed rather silly afterwards. But it wasn't at the time.  
  
But nothing since then. She seemed to fall asleep, and then a few moments later it was time to wake up, though she felt rested and she knew time had passed. A complete blackout. Bummer, she often thought, as friends would share the crazy dreams and the romantic dreams... Nah, my dreams are dreams I have for reality, she'd constantly reassure herself.  
  
  
  
  
His eyes adjusted to the darkness in the room quickly. He had heard her snores immediately on return, but wasn't positive as to where she was. He adjusted and took a few steps in almost slow motion, moving stiffly. He closed his eyes tightly, and his hand shot out to grasp the end of the plush couch. He didn't think he could make it further. But he did. He detected her sprawled out face down on the floor in front of the couch. He almost smiled at that--she must have crashed there in her sleep.  
  
He moved around and stood at her head, but leaned back against the couch for support. Then drawing a deep rasping voice, "Georgie," He spoke at normal tones, though gravely ones. He used his toe and gently tapped her arm a couple of times. She slept like the dead. He frowned, and grimaced at a sharp pain. Wake up, he urged silently. "Georgie," He kept on.   
  
Slowly she roused herself up onto her elbows and groggily looked up. "Hmm?" She whimpered sleepily, her eyes hadn't adjusted yet and she was wondering what in the world could be disturbing her sleep. She was wearing her glasses, she didn't wear those everyday. It took a second for her to adjust them on her nose.  
  
"Georgie," He rasped a last time and coughed, shaking his whole body.  
  
She woke up quickly at that, and recognizing Snape and the situation, she stumbled to her feet, burbling, "Sorry Severus."  
  
His coughing fit ended and grasped his side with his arm. "Oh my God, what?" Georgie's voice took on an edge of panic.  
  
"Nothing. I need you to assist me up to the hospital wing now, then run and get Dumbledore. Can you do that?" He sounded pained.  
  
"Yes," She assented. Nothing, my ass. Then looking around her, she hopped to the front of him, biting her lip in thought. "I'm going to support you if you can walk?"  
  
He nodded, she made out in the darkness. She ducked under his left arm and popped her head out from under his shoulder. He seemed to be injured on that side, so she was careful not to touch his side. She wrapped her arm around his back and tried to steady him. Sounding more confident and strong than she felt, "Ready?" She looked up at him.  
  
He nodded again. His breath was raspy and he stepped gingerly. Damn, she hated seeing him like that, and she guessed he hated being seen like this. Their progress was slow and silent except for their own footfalls. Why couldn't the hospital have a fireplace, she pondered angrily, though not rationally. She was angry, but not at him, and so she was careful to not show any emotion since he might pick up on it. She gritted her teeth as she huffed on.  
  
On reaching the hospital wing, Georgie opened the door and maneuvered them both inside. "Madam Pomfrey!" Georgie hissed loudly. The woman came skirting around a corner, clad in her dressing gown and fuzzy slippers.  
  
"Oh dear!" She took the sight of them both in. She looked from one to the other quickly trying to master which of them was the injured party.   
  
"Snape." Georgie filled in. The witch looked at Snape for a moment, then after glancing his bent-over form up and down, a thought seemed to come to her, because her mouth dropped in shock. She didn't say what it was; though Georgie figured she must have noticed something about or on Snape that gave her a clue to his condition. Georgie wasn't a Mediwizard, so to her it could be asthma or poison for all she knew.  
  
The witch motioned them both towards a bed several feet away, Snape was looking haggard, but he was conscious and helped move over to the bed, Georgie set him up against it and the two women lowered him onto it.  
  
Madam Pomfrey pulled Georgie aside, "He didn't say anything?"  
  
Georgie shook her head, looking confused. "I need to get Dumbledore. Keep him awake--I'll be back in a few minutes."  
  
Georgie took off at a run, but slowed to a trot when she was out of breath. "Damnit Severus." She spoke, and no one--not even the paintings--heard her. She approached Dumbledore's hidden door to his office and rooms, spoke, "candied slugs," then bounded up the stairs, hoping and wishing that he were awake. However it would appear that he wasn't. His door was bolted and Georgie stood before them banging urgently, hopping from foot to foot.  
  
She scratched her shin absently as the doors opened, and with a faint light behind him, stood Albus Dumbledore wearing an old-fashioned nightcap atop his silver hair. "Dear, what can be the matter?" His eyes smiled at her, but his face was serious. He looked at her agitation, and his brows furled in concern.  
  
"Severus has returned. Hurt again. He's with Pomfrey, seems okay, didn't look good though. Think he's out of danger. Don't know what happened, but he wanted you." She explained all in one breath. He nodded and shut the door behind him as he grabbed her arm and they tromped off down the stairs.  
  
Perhaps this was a dream, Georgie asked herself. This felt so surreal, as if she weren't really here. She looked to Dumbledore but his face was set determinedly, and he pushed on forward. Yes, she was sure of it. This was a dream, she sighed with slight relief. She was snug on her couch before the fire, dozing deeply. She was glad of that fact. Otherwise, she'd probably be pretty emotional. She yawned once more.  
  
The entered the Hospital Wing and Dumbledore, unhooked Georgie's arm from his own and left her near the entrance, so he could speak with Madam Pomfrey in lowered tones. Dumbledore turned to Snape and Pomfrey turned to Georgie. "You can just sit here, dear. Dumbledore will want to speak to you in a moment." Indicating the bed next to Snape's. Dumbledore however had drawn the curtain around Snape's and they were whispering hurriedly. Georgie couldn't be bothered to try and eavesdrop, beside this was just a dream so what did it matter. She was so tired....she leaned back on the pillow, and before she knew it she had curled up into a ball and dozed off.  
  
  
  
  
She awoke with a start, she didn't know why she had, she just did. Her heart was beating wildly. Where the hell was she? Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she made out the shapes common to the hospital wing. Holy shit, her heart sank as she remembered. It must have been hours ago.... She sat up and swung her legs over and dangled them above the floor. She looked over her shoulder towards the door, and listened intently for any noise. She barely heard breath coming from the bed next to hers. Snape....God, she hoped he was okay. But she felt the need to get out of here, away from this and the thoughts it made her think. Death Eaters and spying and dying and everything....  
  
Determined not to make any noise she slid off the side of the high bed and landed silently on her sock-covered feet. Taking one step she abruptly stopped--  
  
"Georgie?"  
  
She turned her head and tried to make out Snape's dark form a few paces behind her. Was he hallucinating or dreaming?  
  
She turned slowly around and padded over until she was standing over his bedside and looking down on him. "Severus?" She squinted hard at him and whispered, so quietly that if he were asleep he wouldn't have noticed it. His black eyes were open. And he looked up at her blankly. Perhaps he was under influence of drugs or something.  
  
"Stay." He uttered blandly.  
  
Georgie opened her mouth, about to protest and come up with some reason to go downstairs, to get away, to not give an occasion to talk about this. She paused for a long time standing there unsure what to say. Snape seemed to sense the indecision.  
  
"I wasn't sleeping. Couldn't sleep. Stay."  
  
She brought her fist up to her mouth and just starred at him. Then slowly, nodded at him. She turned her back momentarily on him and lifted a chair up from against the wall and carried it to his bedside, before setting it noiselessly down again. She sat down eye-level to him and in awe. Yes, he probably was drugged, but she'd stay still.   
  
Speak Severus, she tried to send him her thoughts telepathically. If you don't take control, I'll ask the questions, and they'll be ones you won't like.  
  
"Good thing you were there," he began in a whisper. "I don't think I could have walked up here." He stared into the darkness.  
  
She kept her voice down as best as she could, "Where exactly are you hurt?"  
  
He closed his eyes. "Everywhere."  
  
Georgie didn't respond. He kept on. "A few broken ribs, a broken wrist, a little internal bleeding, general pain...."  
  
"I don't understand..." Georgie shook her head as if trying thrust her bad thoughts and feelings out of her mind and send them flying across the room.  
  
"Voldemort was upset," He explained calmly as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Five of his people are in the Ministry and they all failed to get an essential bit of information he requested to have about a month ago. Since none of them got it, we all had to pay...."  
  
"How?" She whispered, barely audible. She didn't know is she'd actually voiced it out-loud or not.  
  
"You don't want to know." He starred off straight in front of him.  
  
Georgie believed she already knew anyhow-it was something very bad. "Yes," She insisted slightly angrily. "I do."  
  
"Incendigrito."  
  
Her hand raised to slowly cover her mouth. Not a word passed between the two of them for a while. It wasn't an unforgivable; It should have been though. It was not like the Killing Curse or Cruciatus, but it was still a form of torture. It made the person feel like their blood was on fire beneath their skin. At least he wasn't in mortal danger.  
  
She finally gathered her voice and wits about her, "B-but, you didn't do anything?" She stuttered. "You didn't do anything." She repeated it, sounding more disbelieving.  
  
He rolled his eyes, not maliciously at her. "Do you think He cares about that?"  
  
"But you don't work for the ministry, you weren't involved, it wasn't your fault..." She hissed.  
  
He sighed at that, and reached out his hand and set it down lightly and comfortingly on top of her head.  
  
"He does that to remind us who is the Master, and that failures will not be tolerated. It's not all that uncommon really...."  
  
Georgie starred wide-eyed at him. How could he say that so casually?! It was torture for goodness sake! You don't get used to that. This was sick, and she felt hot and angry. She wanted to shake him and beat him until he understood how horrible this was. How awful, she couldn't imagine. She felt tears well up in her eyes, and she sucked on her lip, trying not to let them spill over. She sniffed. "I wish I could fucking kill him."   
  
"So do I." He permitted, removing his hand. "But you couldn't do it, thank God. You are not a killer Georgie."  
  
"Fuck you, Severus. I could kill Voldemort. I want to kill him." She whispered passionately, biting her lip harder. She didn't want him to see her cry, to see her weak. At least it was pitch black in here. It was probably irrational and cold, but she didn't care and so she clung to that.  
  
"This war has been long and demanding. I've been fighting it for most of my life. I can hardly remember what it was like before..." He looked piercingly at her, his eyes were so black. "I want it to end. If I could, I would tomorrow. But at this point the killings and tortures would continue. Now is not the time. I wish it were...."  
  
She nodded her sentiments, and her tears finally spilled over. Snape didn't appear to notice, thank goodness, she thought as she as inconspicuously as possible brought the back of her hands up to her betraying eyes. "I hate you." She spat at him.  
  
Snape grinned widely into the darkness. "If it were only that easy in life," He murmured, but she didn't understand, and so let it drop.  
  
Georgie scratched her arm and frowned. Snape, tried to change subjects, "So what trouble did you get up to tonight?" He prodded her.  
  
"Nothing, wrote letters, did rounds, raided the kitchens, sang an opera, went fishing for lake trout." She tried to smile like she usually did, but it came out sort of half-assed.  
  
"Ah, an opera. I'm sure that would be a horrific experience, so I'm quite glad that I missed it in its entirety." He smirked.  
  
"Hey," she insisted, taking the bait unknowingly. "I wouldn't be that bad! Sure I'm not the best singer in the world, but I'm sure I'm not the worst either! Geesh, you're a butt. It was Turandot, and I was singing along with my Muggle player--you weren't there! How'd you know if I were good or not, I mean granted I'm not good-good, but still...." He shushed her when her voice seemed to be raising too high.  
  
She grinned at him, when she realized how easily she could be maneuvered in a discourse--especially one where they'd argue. She shot him a look, and with a humph, leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.  
  
He chuckled to himself silently at her expression. "You are irreplaceable as a friend--you are so easily swayed in conversation, easy to lead about in all things that are for the good of all, and helping whenever I show up bleeding to death."   
  
"Ha. Ha." Georgie said bitterly, but with the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. But it was dark she figured he couldn't see that. "I'm not so easily lead about, like a stupid horse on a tether..." She griped.  
  
"I never said you were stupid. I'm saying you usually have sense enough to be lead out of pointless conversations and situations. You are valuable that you listen and accept good advice and sensible suggestions when you hear them. Now shut up and accept the compliment." He growled.  
  
She blinked for a minute in the dark, "Thank you."   
  
He sat back and closed his eyes. "Now about this lake trout you fished for--I presume it's stinking carcass isn't anywhere in the dungeons?" She covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled and her eyes squinted up in mirth.  
  
They chatted for awhile more about everything and anything. Georgie still suspected that he was under the influence of some drug or another, but she was okay with that. Thy just kept their voices down, and though she couldn't see her watch she surmised that dawn wasn't far off. But if it were to be another stormy day, light would be still a long ways off.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie hadn't realized when she had fallen asleep that that was what she was indeed doing. Her head had been propped up her chin on her wrists on the edge of the bed for the latter half of the conversation. She had paused mid-sentence, yawned and shut her eyes and never finished what she was trying to say.  
  
Snape looked down in surprise at the funny sight she'd just made, and smiled genuinely to himself in the dark. Such an odd girl. Probably very tired. She began to snore quietly. Yes, very tired. How amusing, Snape thought to himself. Girls don't usually fall asleep at your bedside, how out of the everyday.  
  
He settled himself down on his pillows, taking cares not to disturb the snoring creature at his side nor his own aching body. Finally Severus Snape fell into a deep and drug-induced restful sleep.  
  
  
  
PLEASE R/R--it makes me happy. Usually. 


	12. Chapter Twelve GreenEyed Monster

Chapter Twelve--Green-Eyed Monster  
  
  
  
  
Severus looked around himself, making sure no one was watching. The Hospital Wing was indeed empty. Still, he didn't know how to go about this. It was noon and Georgie slept like the dead by his side, still snoring and slightly drooling. Dumbledore had come in earlier, held a conversation and then left again, and that girl hadn't stopped snoring. She would miss lunch and be cranky if she woke and had to wait for dinner-he'd seen her that way a few times before.   
  
How to wake her though? He considered yanking her braid, her dumping a glass of water on her. She had snored right through conversations and his moving about. Perhaps a stun spell, he grinned wickedly as he eyed his wand which sat on the table beside him. He didn't want to hurt her, he reasoned. What was he talking about? Of course he'd love to hurt her, it was fun and she deserved most of it. But not today. She was kind, he couldn't make her hate him just yet. But later, oh yes...He thought mischievously.   
  
He frowned, then grabbed his wand. He mustn't break character, must he? And he grinned--though he could easily bend hers. "Rictusempra."  
  
Slowly her shoulders curled up and her back arched like a cat's as her head bobbed down below her line of sight. "Ahhh!" She wailed, getting louder. Her head came up and gripped the side of Snape's bed, her eyes wide and alert and level with Snape's. She giggled and snorted and grabbed her sides gasping for breath. "You jerk!" She shrieked, in between a hearty guffaw and twittering out her nose. "Not fair! I can't return it 'cuz you're a broken man...." She hiccuped and cackled.  
  
He looked at her solemnly as she snickered and tried not to break eye contact with him. "I'm serious." She chortled ridiculously, "You're awful!" She wanted to slap him, and tried her hardest to frown at how displeased she was, but it just came out as a roar.  
  
He just watched her blankly as she fumbled about looking for her wand, as if she were the day's entertainment. He eventually muttered the counter-curse and it still took her a minute to get herself under control. Finally she looked up into his prankish eyes and pointed her finger weakly at him. "I-really-don't-like-you!" She gasped.  
  
He smirked at her. "Good. Now I don't want you to miss lunch, and then Dumbledore wishes to see you."  
  
Georgie, stretched out and yawned, then cracked her back and massaged her aching neck. "How long are you in for?" She tried to look menacing at him.  
  
"I assume you're asking how long I am to remain in the Hospital Wing for?" He annoyed her purposely. "I'm here until this evening. By then all the potions and healing spells will have done their best, so I may leave then."  
  
Georgie nodded at this. Her stomach growled angrily, and she put her hand over it. "Hmm, I guess I'd better get off to lunch then. I'll come back later and visit and annoy, if you'd like."  
  
Snape shrugged, so Georgie shrugged back. Whatever she thought. "See you later then." She popped up and returned to the dungeons for her shoes. Leaving him watching her. Odd female, he thought.  
  
  
  
  
After lunch and many discrete and vague explanations as to why she missed breakfast, Georgie made her way up to Dumbledore's office. He seemed to have sensed that she was there, because on knocking on the door, it was immediately opened onto the face of the man himself.  
  
He poured her some tea and the both sat beside a chess-set set up between two couches off to the side. They chitchatted for a few minutes, but Georgie didn't pry or try to rush the man. He had his own timing and his own way of saying things. And say things he did.  
  
The man explained how Snape was regularly coming home with cuts and broken bones and the such, and how risky it was trying to get him discretely to Madam Pomfrey, that it would set tongues going and start unnecessary fears in motion. Besides often Madam Pomfrey was called away or the injuries were beyond her sphere of knowledge. Georgie swallowed, and jumped in that she was positive that they weren't seen last night. The old man smiled and assured her that he didn't believe them to have been seen. Georgie wondered what he was trying to get to saying, he had piqued her interest.  
  
Finally, he proposed at last that since Georgie was now a close friend of Snape's and privy to his secrets and living down there with him....that she could learn some Mediwizardry and learn to patch him up herself.  
  
"You're joking?" She starred open-mouthed at him when she finally found her voice.  
  
"Not in the least. You'd only learn the basics: how to remedy cuts, broken bones, burns, poisons, protection against elements...things such as that. Oh yes, and Cruciatus and the like..." He spoke slowly, almost as if an afterthought.  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick..." Georgie murmured.   
  
"If you didn't feel sick at the thought of a friend going through that, I'd have doubted you...." He nodded.  
  
She sighed and shook herself, "What does Severus say about this? Have you asked him?" Somehow she figured Snape would pitch a fit and vehemently oppose.  
  
"I proposed it this morning. He's agreed...that is if you agree." He set his teacup down on the table gently. "Really, it's a wonderful opportunity. We will send for special textbooks for you, and you'll learn from Pomfrey once a week. It will have to remain a secret, as we don't offer Mediwizardry training to all the students here. But I urge you to consider this carefully. Not only is it assisting Severus, but you'll be gaining some valuable training that might come in useful later on in your life--even if you don't choose to follow that career path." His eyes twinkled.  
  
She looked him in the eye, "I accept," She said unsmiling. Damn, what was she getting herself into? She wondered at herself, but it had deeply interested her--special training and textbooks, keeping it all a secret. "I just wish he weren't going out getting ripped apart all the time in the first place." She murmured and looked at her hands in her lap, not completely comfortable with sharing her feelings on the subject.  
  
Dumbledore patted her knee; "He's doing this of his own free will now. The ministry heads have released him of all blame and debts owed for his many years of faithful and dangerous service for our side. It's not been made public of course. He's on his own personal vendetta now. He wants to see Voldemort fall more than anyone else I've ever met has." He frowned a little at this, "But I wouldn't stop him from seeing this out to the end. Not for the world." He looked her in the eyes. She nodded, understanding his meaning.  
  
They discussed that she would get her books this next week and begin immediately her lessons guided by Pomfrey. She'd also get her own little store of medical potions and many bandages to keep down in the dungeons. She was excited, but also a little upset. She didn't know whom at though. Voldemort? Yeah, probably.... She rose when it was time to leave and she thanked Dumbledore and gripped his hand warmly as she left.  
  
She returned to the dungeons and cleaned the place up a bit--actually a lot, when it came to her own room. She had so many dirty clothes and her toys were laying about all over her floor. She frowned, slightly disappointed in herself for letting it get that bad. Oh well, she shrugged as she picked up a squirt gun and returned it to it's place.   
  
She had time to hop in the bath and relax for a few minutes. It was heavenly, she breathed deeply and cleared her mind of everything except the steaming water and how cute her toe-sies looked poking out at the other end. She really was nutters, she grinned at herself. She toweled herself off and slipped into her voluminous bathrobe.   
  
Standing before the open wardrobe, she quickly picked out an all-black long-sleeved top and a long black skirt. She didn't feel up to standing out today, and black was lovely for disappearing into crowds with. Besides that, but she looked out at the window at the pelting rain, and thought it sort of mirrored her moodiness at the moment. The rain every single damn day was getting to her. She knew it wasn't normal at all to have such a rainy season, but still she detested it.  
  
She undid her hair and tied it back into it's usual poofy-ponytail. She nodded approvingly at her reflection in the mirror. The black did make her look skinnier. Her chubby, wide face seemed to look slimmer. "Cool," she spoke approvingly in a whisper under her breath.  
  
  
She turned before heading up to dinner and scrambled on top of her covers of her bed, grasping the bedposts for balance. She began to jump and hop around, and she skipped back and forth, flailing her arms every which way and kicking the pillows into the walls. She was soon out of breath and feeling ten-times lighter. Smiling, she flopped down into the covers and slid off the mattress. She slipped into her shoes-the nice ones not the sneakers, and headed for the door smiling. What wonders a little jumping about does? She speculated. Excellent stress-relief.  
  
At the dinner table, she and Hagrid griped to Professor Binns about the weather near constantly. Binns had to keep reminding them that it had no effect on him whatsoever. Hagrid then commented on her looking skinnier, and Georgie flung her arms around his massive neck and bear-hugged him. He looked startled, but quite pleased. He grinned and turned red at odd moments for the rest of the meal.  
  
Dumbledore stood and announced that Hogsmeade weekends would be starting next week, and that unlike past years, third-year students would not be able to participate this year. A collective groan arose throughout the Great Hall on hearing this, but that was that. Hagrid tacked on and so that just Georgie could hear, "On account of 'em past third-years, no doubt."  
  
Hagrid tried to get her to go down to Hogsmeade when he was chaperoning, and Georgie, shrugged and agreed to it quickly enough. Hell, it might be fun, and she hadn't spent nearly enough time with Hagrid lately. She told him she was looking forward to it, and scooted off from the table and headed out the Great Hall  
  
She popped her head into the Hospital Wing, and she spotted Snape sitting bolt up in bed scowling. God bless his heart, she pouted playfully to herself, he's back to normal. She snorted at her inner theatrics as she crossed the floor between them.  
  
"So how's the patient?" She asked cheerfully.  
  
He turned and glared at her. "That good...?" And her eyes connected with Madam Pomfrey's and they both grinned at each other.  
  
"I came to see that they were feeding you..."  
  
"House elves sent up some food." He sneered and nodded towards some empty plates on a table across the room.   
  
"Oh." She smiled. "So what shall we do now then?"  
  
"I only want to get out of here." He glared at the poor older woman stocking a cabinet a few paces away.  
  
"Where to?" Georgie asked, drawing his attention away. "Morocco? Siberia? Ireland?"  
  
"Pardon?" He looked a bit confused.  
  
"Erin gra mo chroi...."  
  
"Excuse me?" He spat.  
  
"Oh, nevermind." Georgie walked over to Pomfrey and out of Snape's earshot. "How long must he stay here?" she whispered.  
  
"Oh, he can leave whenever. He's fine--take him away. I just like making the tyrant suffer." She grinned toothily.  
  
The two ladies grinned to themselves slyly, and then Georgie rolled her eyes right before turning to return to Snape.  
  
"So, you wanna hear my opera?" Snape immediately had his wand pointed in her direction. "Silent but deadly," she complained to herself. "Geesh, everyone's a critic!" She lamented loudly. "Fine, well if you don't want to hear my birdsong, I guess there's nothing left for us to do but get outta this place." She grinned cheekily. "Can ya walk?"  
  
He glared daggers into her. "Okay, fine. You can walk," She answered her own question, then scratched her head absently.  
  
Snape hopped up from his bed and disappeared into a side room, where he reemerged minutes later dressed in his own robes. He glided across to where she stood and looked to Georgie.   
  
"Okily, let's go. Thanks Madam Pomfrey. I'll try not to return him here very often!" She giggled and the ladies waved each other off.   
  
After turning the first corner, Snape asked in low tones, "So are you doing it?"  
  
She almost laughed aloud at this. Of course she knew what he was talking about, but if she didn't...doing what exactly? Doing narcotics, doing well in school, doing the cha-cha, doing her hair, doing nude modeling....hell she seriously considered answering, 'Yes, I am PMS-ing. Thank you for asking.' Just for gross-out-the-Snape factor, but decided against it. She grinned much broader than the question called for and answered simply, "Huh?"  
  
"You know very well I meant are you going to take the Mediwizard training?" He growled.  
  
"Oh!" She gasped in mock surprise. "Of course I am," She turned on him and chuckled, as if he were a mere little boy asking something ridiculously stupid.  
  
"I'm glad." He stated, though without feeling.  
  
Georgie looked at him sideways, smirking. Oh really, she reflected, but let it alone.  
  
  
  
  
All eyes turned on the pair as they both strode silently into the Slytherin Common Room and just as abruptly entered their own rooms. Georgie managed to wink at the twins and grin at another girl she'd met in Herbology before being sucked into the vortex that was their rooms.  
  
Snape flopped himself down on his couch and crossed his arms over his chest, sneering and looking menacingly about the room. Georgie hovered just inside the closed door, hands on her hips. "Are you feeling alright?" She asked. He snarled at her that he as fine.  
  
"Do you need anything? Tea, food, bigger fire?" She motioned towards the medium-sized blaze.  
  
He looked at her disdainfully. "Oh!" She exclaimed. "I guess I am sounding a bit like your mother. I apologize." She crossed the room, navigated the table and plopped herself down on her couch.  
  
Snape was silent a moment, for effect more than anything else he realized. "My mother would never bother to inquire as to how I was, or whether I needed anything."  
  
Georgie squirmed uncomfortably. "Sorry." She had guessed that Severus' family wasn't the true family that Georgie's were to her.  
  
He whirled around and caught her eye. "It's not your fault," he soothed.  
  
"Still..." She looked downcast.  
  
"How about your guitar?" He asked lightly.  
  
Smiling at the pathetically obvious change of topic, Georgie nodded and got to her feet. She returned a minute later without her shoes and having gained her guitar. She sat down once more and began to tune it, muttering to herself.  
  
"You realize," piped up Snape. "That's you are going to have to say 'No' to me someday." She couldn't tell if he were being serious or not, and what was he talking of anyway.  
  
She met his gaze and said steadily, "When you give me a reason for such a censure, I assure you I will say no." She starred him down forcefully. "Until then," She turned to her guitar again, speaking more to it than to him. "I enjoy playing it, and right now I'm not opposed to playing it for you. So long as you can manage to somewhat hold your tongue on the subject of my singing, I will continue to enjoy the pastime." And with that said, she continued tuning.  
  
Severus was mildly impressed at that outburst, though of course he had no intention of holding his tongue for anyone. Though the force behind it almost convinced him to. Still he was amused, to say the least.  
  
Snape, needn't have worried. Se felt so self-conscious she only sang one song, and it appeared to be a moody one at that.   
  
Last night I dreamt  
that somebody loved me,  
no hope - but no harm,  
just another false alarm.  
Last night I felt  
real arms around me,  
no hope - no harm,  
just another false alarm.  
so, tell me how long  
before the last one?  
and tell me how long  
before the right one?  
this story is old - I KNOW  
but it goes on.  
this story is old - I KNOW  
but it goes on.  
  
  
Snape sat at attention, leering the entire time. And Georgie kept frowning at that. After awhile, she got sick of watching his reaction, and it made her uneasy. So she eventually set the guitar aside with finality, and burst out, "I'm tired." As she lay back and settled herself into her couch. It was true--she was extremely tired. But more emotionally than physically.  
  
They spent another hour in this boring way, not one word exchanged between the both of them. Finally with a great sigh, Georgie stood up, and bid Snape a good night, then exited, leaving him where he was.  
  
He was thinking. About things. Severus Snape wasn't used to thinking like this, emotions and caring and all that. He knew he cared for his friend Dumbledore more than anyone else in the world. He was the greatest friend and a mentor of sorts too. The old man was teaching him intriguing things about others and about himself that he'd never dreamed of. Never dreamed of second chances at all....  
  
But Georgie was...different. She was a girl. Oh course, he slapped himself physically, then glancing to make sure he truly was all alone in that room. But, there were other things as well. She was unpredictable, to say the least, he sneered. But fascinatingly so. At first he found her dizzying and annoying. Now, it was different somehow. He really liked having that little brat around. And he respected her, though he'd never ever let her know that. Perhaps it was just different for him. Going from a best friend who was well over one hundred years old to one who was only 21.  
  
But he knew it wasn't the age. It wasn't that she was stubborn, or anything. It was more in how she saw things in him, sometimes only the good things. How she changed the subject when he tried to bring up painful things, or things harmful to himself, or his past.. He frowned at that. Perhaps, that wasn't such a wise procedure for her to follow. But he shrugged.   
  
Also there was only one instance when she was frightened of him. Though he loved trying to get her back up and make her skin jump, he was fascinated by this girl who so readily forgives a Death Eater when one had killed her relative, then welcomes him back to his place of friendship once more. Odd girl, he mused for the umpteenth time. The things she said all fascinated him, or else startled him at the least. He wanted to know what she was afraid of, for some reason... But she was strong enough, his hand reached up to the spot on the back of his neck remembering that strength.  
  
Well, she was still a puzzle. Unreadable--perhaps all females are as enigmatical? He posed. But he thought that her being there was good. He didn't expand on why, as he was getting a headache and felt uncomfortable trying to figure out a female for so long in the first place. Not his style, he sneered at himself as he rose and went off to his bedchambers.  
  
  
  
  
The next morning Snape turned and saw to his dismay Georgie bounding down the hallway straight for him, like a rabid wolverine he stood unmoving. She hopped up and beaming like an idiot, "Severus, will you go to Hogsmeade tomorrow afternoon with me?"  
  
He wondered why he needed her to go with him, "Why?" He narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Oh, I just want to jump you, beat the hell out of you, then leave you for dead back behind Zonko's." She snorted. "Geesh, nah, I am going to meet a friend of mine at the Three Broomsticks. I want you to come along and meet her." She saw his face, and pouted pathetically. "Puh-lease?" She whined.  
  
He glowered down at her; "I have no intention of going to met a friend of yours." He began quite angrily.  
  
"Please, please, please!" She persisted interrupting him. "You'd be the best-est most perfect person in the world. It'd hardly take any of your time, and this person's really, really cool and really smart." She pleaded. She knew he had no objection to the Three Broomsticks and Hogsmeade or even going out in this weather.   
  
Snape still refused, so Georgie kept on him about it, until very late that night, he gave in. "Yipee!" Georgie hollered and spun around the room.   
  
"Keep your voice down!" He snarled.  
  
"Aw, Severus, you're the best! I knew you'd come around. Trust me, it'll be great." She stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"I highly doubt that," He countered dryly.  
  
  
  
  
The next evening found Georgie and Snape crossing the outskirts of Hogwarts, heading for the front gates. Of course, lamented Georgie, the weather had to suck, as she pulled her cloak even tighter around her throat.   
  
They had set up to meet up with Orris McDade obviously that very afternoon. Georgie had received a letter from her yesterday ran off ecstatic to tell then twins, and then had to just make sure Severus would actually go.   
  
Orris knew all about him not knowing, and was delighted by the idea. She wasn't to mention anything about this being pre-arranged, but Orris was determined to whisk him away from Georgie and get him to herself as soon as she could. Georgie warned truthfully, that she'd better meet him first before she jumped on the man. Orris described what she'd be wearing and agreed to pose as a friend from Georgie's past. It was to be great fun, all in all.  
  
Georgie kept grabbing Severus' arm excitedly and twittering off about this and that. Snape wanted to murder her at that moment. She was driving him to distraction. He just wanted to drink his Butterbeer, meet this woman and then be off.  
  
The both swept into the Three Broomsticks and stopped just inside the door, Georgie looked around for a woman with a burgundy scarf tied around her neck. She looked uneasily around the room as Snape regarded her humorously. Georgie was just glad Snape was in a relatively good mood.   
  
She started as she finally spotted Orris. She had her back to them and her head was bent down over something, perhaps a book. She was wearing a beautiful black velvet dress, very form-fitting. Georgie loved her already.  
  
She yanked at Severus' arm and led him over to the table, tapping the woman lightly on the shoulder and exclaiming "Orris!"  
  
The woman flung down the book and grinned kindly, eyes twinkling. "Georgie! Long time no see! How are you?" She gushed beautifully. She indicated the empty chairs at her table. "And you must be her friend Mr. Severus Snape."  
  
Georgie almost died right then and there. Snape just continued to stare open-mouthed at the women as she offered him her hand. Giggling, Georgie elbowed him softly, and he shook himself out of the uncharacteristically Un-Snape-like moment. They shook hands and Snape's jaw returned to normal, as did his steely demeanor. Orris was gorgeous--truly. And she did everything beautifully. She was graceful and elegant even. Orris and Georgie took turns 'catching-up' on each others' lives as that was supposed to be the story.   
  
Both Georgie and Severus could barely take their eyes from her. She was captivating. She was well read. She seemed to have traveled heaps more than Georgie, and had an interesting story to tell for every occasion. Georgie thought if Snape wouldn't take her, heck she would. She was so perfect! And she was engaging Snape in conversation. Georgie just sat there watching as the two conversed, silently sipping her butterbeers.   
  
Snape stumbled at first--clearly out of practice for such a social setting. It had been a long time.... But he adapted quickly and flawlessly. Georgie was proud of him. He didn't share nearly equal of his life to what Orris shared of hers, but Georgie put it down to shyness. Ha! Snape, shy. Funny....But she never dreamed they'd hit it off so well--at least Snape wasn't visibly upset with her yet. Georgie worried a teensy bit when she would tell him--probably during the next week--how he'd take it. She figured ranting and raving and yelling and accusing. But she was going o make sure he understood Orris had had no part in any of this--it was all Georgie's fault.  
  
Georgie's mind seemed to have left, the table, left the building, left the town and was now somewhere in orbit...But the glint off of Miss McDade's silver bracelet caught her eye and she snapped out of it. Georgie stole a glance at her watch. Dinner was almost over, damn! Georgie made discreet eye contact with Orris and winked at her.  
  
Georgie rubbed her head unmistakably and put in when the conversation allowed, "Hey, Listen." Looking at them both. "I've got a bit of a headache so I'm going to head back to the school. You both look pretty comfortable. You guys finish up your conversation and drinks here. And Orris I'll drop you a note tomorrow, okay?" She jumped up and was out the door before Severus had a chance at protesting.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie made it into dinner just in time, and she was famished! Her nerves must be eating for two these days. Georgie woofed down the food then joined Hagrid after the meal on a walk around the grounds with Fang. They had a fabulous time and were soaked to the skin when they burst into Hagrid's cabin to make good use of his blazing fire.  
  
They played cards for hours sitting down on the floor before the fire, Fang's head resting in Georgie's lap. "He only likes you because you pet him more'n I do." Hagrid sniffled jealously, and Georgie giggled at that. Reassuring him that his dog only had eyes for him. They chatted about everything, students, classes, friends, other teachers (especially Snape, Georgie always noted--Hagrid always worried for her). She assured him that they were fast friends and she had proved herself capable of taking on Snape's moods and didn't fall for any of his rubbish. He grinned and patted her shoulder heartily at that.   
  
At eleven, Georgie yawned and gave Hagrid a hug and thanked him for the good company and warm fire, before dashing back out into the downpour. Georgie virtually ran through rounds and high-tailed it back to the dungeons. The Common Room was empty and Severus hadn't returned. You sly devil, she grinned evilly. She was rather pleased with herself, she acknowledged as she set about making a fire and drying her things off.  
  
At a few minutes past midnight with Georgie lying out in her dressing gown on the couch before the fire, Snape barged through the door. Georgie pretended to not look up as he entered and concentrated very, very hard at her book in her hand. He strode over to stand behind her, "Is your headache improved?" He asked quietly.  
  
She looked up at him quizzically. "Yes. Thanks. I went on rounds. You don't have to. So, did you have a nice evening?" She questioned casually.  
  
"Yes, I believe I did." He said seriously and then with a slight air of confusion. "Do you know her very well?"  
  
"Orris? She's a casual friend, not horribly close," she admitted. That was true, she told herself. And the less Severus believed her to know about her friends' life, the less he'd try to ask her.  
  
"I gathered as much. She's really not anything like you." He pronounced slowly.  
  
"Gee, thanks." Georgie laughed.  
  
"I didn't mean--"  
  
"Severus, I was joking. Chill-freaking-out. I know as well as you do that we are nothing alike. She's fabulously beautiful and sophisticated and graceful. I'm--" She burped. Then held her hands up as if to say, 'See?'  
  
Severus almost smiled at this. But Georgie was so happy. Of course it might tumble down when he learned the truth but oh well...while it lasted.  
  
"So....do you have any plans?" She asked ambiguously, never raising her eyes from her book.  
  
Snape paced about the room and ran his thing fingers through his hair, "We're meeting for coffee tomorrow." Georgie hooted and hollered inwardly.  
  
"Oh, Orris you mean? I was just asking if you had any plans at all. Cool. You and Orris." She nodded as if the thought had never occurred to her before and returned to her book, as Snape was no doubt be kicking himself over his slip, she guessed. He knew if Georgie knew about this, she'd make a field day of it--as he would for her had it been her making the Coffee dates--though it wasn't a date! He carefully assured himself. He had to be calm and collected, also cautious. But Severus Snape was always cautious.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie slept like a baby, grinning like a fool through her drool-filled unremembered dreams. She had waited until Severus had gone off to bed, before she dashed out and sent Miss McDade a short note. Georgie warned that if She and Snape were still talking to each other by the end of the day Georgie would break the truth to Severus, but Georgie assured Orris that everything would be fine. Georgie hoped to receive a reply by the end of the day.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie did in fact receive a letter and it was full of hopeful praise and it agreed that Georgie should break it gently to Severus that very evening--before things got out of hand. She praised Snape enough, and that in and of itself seemed really odd. McDade was jumping to conclusions about Snape's emotions, Georgie figured, as they'd hardly gotten to know each other. But she wondered also at Snape's lack of, well anything, on returning from his Coffee 'date,' as Georgie teased him about it outright now. He seemed to be wholly unmoved and almost unenthusiastic. Just embarrassed every time it was brought up. Perhaps he was a very personal person with his love life, and didn't let anyone other than the object know. Of course it must be so, for God's sake, this was Professor Snape!  
  
Georgie laughed when she caught herself thinking worrying about how the two of them got on. They had to have truly hit it off, otherwise Severus wouldn't have agreed to meet with her the next day for dinner in town. She was hoping to catch Snape alone so she could 'confess.'  
  
She cornered him that evening finally alone. He was down on his couch after dinner reading some heavy ornately bound book. He glanced up at her as she passed through the doors. She would usually take this opportunity--hell any opportunity--to tease him about his new lady friend, but now wasn't the time obviously.  
  
She sat gingerly down on her couch and bit her lip as she stared at him and tried to breathe deeply as she gathered her courage.   
  
"Georgie, whatever you want to say. Say it." Severus didn't even look up.  
  
"I swear you have eyes in the back of your head." She shook her head.  
  
"I do." He looked up and smiled a bit mischievously. But Georgie didn't smile back, and Snape's smile soon disappeared on noticing this. He set his book down.  
  
She took a deep breath. "Okay, please don't interrupt me because I have to try to get this out as quickly as I can, otherwise I won't have the courage to and it must be said." He nodded curtly and she hurried on, hardly ever taking a breath.   
  
"I've only known Orris for a few days, a little over two weeks. I never lied; I just left heaps of stuff out, okay? Anyway, here's the thing. I thought you could use a, well...a friend, a Lady-friend. So I put out an ad for you in the Daily Prophet. I didn't use your name or anything--don't worry. But most of the replies were ludicrous, everyone's except Orris'. She seemed perfect for you! So I wrote to her and arranged a meeting."   
  
"Miss McDade had nothing to do with any of this, the ad or anything. All she wanted to do was meet you. She genuinely likes you I think. Now, you can yell at me or hex me or whatever. I know I shouldn't have done it at all--that you never in a bazillion years would have done such a thing. I decided to do it anyway, I figured you'd probably wring my neck, but this deserved a try. I'm so sorry." She stopped here and looked at how Snape was handling it. He was completely white, his lips were drawn into a tight thin line and his eyes were black, but dull.   
  
There was a pregnant silence in the air. "Say something." Georgie urged. "Please."  
  
Severus' face slowly began to burn underneath, and turned from white to pink in fury. And say something he did. Georgie cringed as the first onslaught hit her ears. But she deserved it and would take it.  
  
The man paced around the room bellowing and hissing and pointing his finger at her. She felt awful when she realized that, yes, she probably shouldn't have interfered in his private life like that--and on such a public scale. That it could have been dangerous had she given out information about his past...She admitted she hadn't considered these things fully, only slightly and in passing. It was probably an invasion of the man's privacy as well.  
  
It was awful hard to just accept his words and not fight and argue and barb back, but she bit her lip hard and held her tongue as best as she could. Amazingly his tirade was over much quicker than she would have guessed it to be. He sat down and just stared at her. She felt tiny.  
  
"I'm sorry." She repeated soberly.  
  
"Forgotten." He offered at last, after seeming to hold his breath for a few minutes.  
  
"So, Miss McDade knew nothing about this?"  
  
"Well, I forced it on her. I told her on replying to her first letter that I was a friend of a man who wouldn't do it himself. I'll give it to you so you can see her response. She said that whatever I did was fine, she just wanted to meet you. She seemed very eager," she smiled a little at this.  
  
Severus' eyes twinkled a little at that. "I've no doubt of her enthusiasm." He murmured.  
  
"So are you still going to see her now?" She asked cautiously.  
  
"Yes." Silence.  
  
"I'm happy for you." Georgie confessed earnestly and she beamed on him.  
  
Severus looked at her oddly, making Georgie laugh outloud. "What? That I wish you happiness? Is that beneath me or something? Damn, I'm not so shallow!"  
  
He calmed her by stating that he wasn't thinking her shallow. He just shrugged and looked out the window, not looking like anything. He didn't know what to think of her. He was torn between flattery and hatred at what she'd done, but now he wasn't really angry any longer. Only, a bit confused. Deflated.  
  
This whole situation seemed too fixed and planned, for it to be real. He felt he ought to go with the woman McDade, that he ought to laugh at her jokes and ought to ask her out again. It was logic. Of course he really didn't know her yet, but he recognized that Georgie was right--she did seem a good match--liking the same things as he did and all. She even had the same sort of reclusive temperament. It was all too new to him, though. He'd give it time and see how things worked out.  
  
Georgie and he talked for awhile longer and Georgie brought out her textbooks to show him some engaging entries about internal bleeding treatments. He smiled at her, but perhaps thought her a little crazy. But he figured it would be a better career path than her Butterbeer scheme, so he tried to encourage it as best as he could, to even act thrilled at all the droll things she shared from those pages. Yes, by underhanded and devious suggestions he might be able to sway her from her foolish path...act the part of fate himself a bit.  
  
By the end of the evening they were friends again, and Georgie was bouncing on the couches doing a self-invented Hula dance. Snape hadn't the foggiest what a real Hula dance would even look like, so he couldn't compare it to what it ought to have been, and rip it to shreds. She had explained that Hula told a story, and she narrated to him as she went along. Her dance had something to do with opening up an icebox and stealing all the ice cream away....  
  
  
  
  
October passed by in a blur. Georgie did wonderfully in all her class, except for Herbology and Care for Magical Creatures where she refused to work with Manticores for two entire weeks, out of objections to something or other. She taught one of Minerva's classes and it went well, not as well as when Minerva herself handled the students, but at least the didn't kill her in the process... Georgie goofed off with the class and they seemed to have a smashing time of it, while not realizing the basic principles Georgie had sneaked into the lesson.  
  
She kept her nose buried in her Mediwizard textbooks near constantly, but managed to find time to not neglect her friends. The twins even assisted her and Snape when Georgie bore a hole from just outside the Slytherin Common room directly to the dungeon.   
  
Snape stood and glowered at the three of them the entire time, but at least he got his way that it wouldn't lead directly to Georgie's room as that might prove dangerous. She would do it regardless of how he tried to stop to stop her, and he hadn't the patience for another long battle with her. It was well past midnight and the Corrosive Potion ate through the stone walls quickly. They had already informed the house-elves of their plan, and they didn't seem to really care, as it wouldn't lead directly into the kitchens, but rather end up just outside of the secret-entryway. Snape was going to put tons of charms and locks and guards on it when it was finished, and he really wished they'd hurry this up so he could get on to other things.  
  
The twins were thunderstruck to observe their nasty, greasy Potions Master aiding and abetting their friend in her silly schemes. They both caught the eyes of another and grinned, both thinking that perhaps he's not such a lost cause as was previously thought!  
  
  
  
  
Severus met almost every other day with Orris. About a week into the relationship Georgie stopped writing to the older witch. If her epistles turned to be too full of Severus, she figured it might lead to a delicate situation later on. So every so often she'd send off a neutral letter by owl, just asking how she was and telling her what she was up to…in a vague sort of way.   
  
Georgie had fallen out of love with Orris a few days after she'd told Snape about the ad. Georgie still felt that she was a splendid person, but she just couldn't find enough common ground to stand on between the both of them. Orris was too grand and serious, though still friendly and nice. Georgie felt that really she was being foolish-that she had no grounds or reasons to be so panicky or prejudiced. By all logical accounts, Georgie should still be in awes with the woman. But she wasn't.  
  
So the couple met often. Orris visited Hogsmeade once more and all three of them met for lunch one rainy day. But Georgie felt the odd-man out and turned down a second invitation. Orris even visited the castle. It was a whirlwind romance that seemed to be actually working. And Severus seemed to be genuinely happy.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie got to test out her new Mediwizardry skills one evening when Snape came home with a laceration on his leg. He explained that the Death Eaters were interrupted by some friendly Auror fire, and they all apparated away immediately. She fixed him up quickly and professionally, then forced him to drink down a light sedative potion she'd brewed two days earlier. She then turned on him and forced him to go to bed immediately while she cleaned up her supplies.  
  
  
  
  
The hot topic with the twins was of course the Halloween Feast and the added dance. Georgie had been assisting Minerva in one of her beginning classes when she'd cleared her throat and proceeded to read the announcement from the tiny scrip of parchment. The dance was for fifth years and above and the present class had not consisted of fifth years or above. Loud cries of disappointment and injustice sailed throughout the air for a few minutes, before Minerva silenced them all with one quick word. But the damage was done. The load of them looked surly and barely paid any attention to a word spoken over the next two hours.   
  
Georgie felt bad for them. She remembered what it felt like to be excluded just because of one's young age. Though she wasn't looking forward to the dance. She loved dances, it just would be awkward here, she'd be out of her element.  
  
  
  
  
A few minutes before lunch, Georgie jogged downstairs to deposit her books in her room. Snape was standing at the bookcase just inside the door searching for a book. She greeted him warmly and tried to kick him as she breezed past. He turned and almost silently locked her door just as she reached it, so she threw her whole weight into the door and it didn't budge. She wheeled around and laughingly, "Severus, you suck."   
  
He smirked at her and turned back to his bookshelf. Georgie muttered the counter-curse and dropped her books on her desk-she was trying to be a bit cleaner here, she reminded herself. On shutting her door behind her, she approached Snape. "What are you doing this weekend? I wanted to show you this cave--"  
  
"I've got plans with Orris." He interjected without facing her.  
  
Georgie's heart sank. She felt a tiny bit dejected and hurt, but tried to hearten up. "Oh, well that's fine. Another time then. No biggie." She walked briskly from the room.   
  
She was hurt. That they were spending so much time together. Georgie wasn't jealous of course. But she was missing her friend's company. More and more lately whenever she'd wanted to do something or go somewhere he had plans with 'her'. She knew it was a natural consequence of her hooking them up--and she didn't begrudge either of them this. They were happy, so she was happy. She wanted him to get out more and to have more varied experiences and to meet women, so she had to just fortify herself. Disappointments came in life, she knew that. Hell, she'd face bigger ones than that in her lifetime. It was just hard to see the whole picture, when she was feeling abandoned by her friend.  
  
She entered the Great Hall and winded her way up to her seat. She'd tried sitting with the Slytherins again, but she wasn't too keen on repeating the experience anytime soon. They were lovely kids, but their conversation was a little limited, she admitted to herself though she hated doing it. She always prided herself that she was young and could relate to most people, but the very young ones--the ones at only eleven--she found almost tedious having to explain basic things to, sometimes repeatedly. She really needed to work on having more patience.  
  
  
  
  
Lunch came and went and directly after the meal, Georgie tailed Minerva up to her office. Minerva smiled to herself realizing that Georgie had something on her mind that she wanted to tell her. They chitchatted into the cozy room and Minerva waved her arm and tea appeared before them. Georgie politely turned it down, but Minerva busied herself with her own cup, every so often looking at the frenzied state of her young friend.  
  
The talked a little about the classes and the 'stupid dance' as Georgie put it, then there was a lapse. Georgie jumped on it. "You know the lady Orris?" Minerva nodded and ceased smiling. Georgie had once confided about what she'd done with placing the ad and all. Minerva hadn't been pleased and had lectured good-naturedly on it for an hour, but she eventually admitted that she believed Orris might be a good influence on Snape.  
  
"Well," Georgie kept on. "I'm sick of her." Minerva broke into a smile at these words, but allowed her friend an explanation. "I mean," she rambled looking at the ceiling. "She hasn't changed a whit. She is still very friendly and sophisticated and everything that's perfect for Severus. And Snape doesn't appear changed or moved or anything at all..." She bemoaned.   
  
"It's just: Severus is never around. He's always out with her. And he doesn't seem to think she's the be-all end-all, you know? I mean if the man's to ever fall in love with her isn't he supposed to suffer from some signs? Some emotions? I mean for goodness sake, it's silly almost." She knew she was jumping haphazardly about the subject, she felt she needed to get it all out of her as soon as she could. "I mean, here I am slaving away for his better good, fixing him up properly, and he's off enjoying the nightlife! While I'm at home, my nose stuck in a book brewing him some damned potions!" She twitched and apologized for the language. She tried to remember that Minerva didn't think it colorful, but only a rather lazy way of expressing ones' self, and Georgie was starting to agree, but she hadn't as of yet kicked the habit.  
  
"I know I'm sounding dumb, and that this is what I wanted for him--what he's wanted too. It's just not turning out to be anything that I thought it'd be. I thought we'd be the same friends as always, that he'd just have another girlfriend, and life would go on. Now he hasn't time for me. I think I created a monster...." She giggled and flopped her hands in her lap.  
  
Minerva had been watching her over the top of her teacup and waited until she finished before she spoke. She set her cup down and appeared to be choosing her words carefully. "Severus is a man and quite capable of deciding for himself whether he's to spend time with this Miss McDade. You may not see the hold she may have over him and Severus is not bound to anyone to give proof of it's very existence."   
  
"Perhaps you are jealous?" Minerva seemed to be speaking to herself, as if the thought only just occurred to her.  
  
"Jealous!" Georgie howled in protest. "Of Severus! You've got to be joking! That's sick! I don't want anything to do with him like that! God, that's nasty."  
  
"Georgie." Minerva chastised gently. "I meant of his time. Jealous of his time, you little funny fool." Georgie nervously laughed, only as a way to change the subject.  
  
Pausing for another moment Minerva said, "You tend to have an over-romanticized view of friendships and relationships. It's a gift actually, because you may only see the good and the happy. In addition you impart that sometimes upon others, which is very wonderful and uplifting for others."  
  
"But you are correct when you surmised that you may have created a monster. But this monster may only be a monster to you. It may be an angel of light to Severus and Miss McDade. You of course knew that this was a distant possibility--it always is when people go together. You wanted him to be happy, but you can't choose the course his happiness will take, unfortunately. Or maybe it is very fortunate indeed."  
  
Georgie pouted and agreed understandingly. Minerva saw her emotions and added, "But things might again be as they were. Don't give up. These things take time, love." She reached out and patted her on the knee. "You may need fireworks for yourself, but knowing Severus for as long as I have, I doubt he's the whistles-and-bells sort of emotional love-sick type."  
  
Georgie smiled gratefully at that and steered the subject away from Snape. They chatted for an hour more and had great laughs at poor Hagrid's expense. Georgie was glad for the occasion to laugh again and loved Minerva for putting up with all of Georgie's crap and baggage. When the got late, Georgie rose and thanked Minerva for listening to her and surprised the woman by giving her a quick hug to show her appreciation.  
  
Georgie was already at the door when Minerva said something to cause her to turn back. "I didn't want to tell because I thought you'd take it the wrong way, but I believe I was a bit hasty in that assumption. I think also perhaps that your emotions tend to show a bit of jealousy for this woman, McDade. Perhaps you should address whatever you might have to be jealous of Miss McDade for. If you're feeling unworthy or not as beautiful--Georgie you're lovely. You're a lovely witch. We all think the world of you; you have nothing to prove to any of us. Just take a few moments and examine your conscience and motives, could you?" The woman grinned warmly and shooed Georgie out the door before she had time to protest.  
  
Georgie stomped off to the dungeons like a spoiled child. I am not jealous of her! Her head hissed at her. I am fine the way I am. I'm a freaking genius, I'm doing well in life and I have lovely friends. Sure she's beautiful and graceful and perfect and has a job at the Ministry, but I don't care. Even her mind's inner-voiced was whining.  
  
Georgie spied Mrs. Norris and almost trod directly over the cat. Shouldn't have been in my way anyway...  
She sighed, thinking just how ugly she was being. Minerva was right. Georgie had known it for sometime, but wasn't willing to admit it. The McDade woman was perfect, Georgie could see no flaw and it galled her. Of course everyone had flaws. But she was perfect, Georgie thought sullenly. And I'm losing my best friend to someone who's perfect. This is what she wanted--him to be happy with the perfect woman. Georgie didn't need to be happy with the arrangement, because she wasn't part of the equation. So she puffed herself up and entered the Common Room having resolved to distance herself until she was under control.  
  
  
  
  
The lounge was colder than average, and Snape was sure the feeble fire in the fireplace wasn't doing much to remedy this. Georgie wasn't as warm as usual. Perhaps the weather was finally getting to her. She snapped at him constantly and rarely cracked a smile, and when she did, it seemed forced. He knew that she was upset that he wasn't around as much as he used to be. He knew also that he was the cause of much of it, but he couldn't stop--why should he for her? He didn't know why, he frowned. Georgie had said it herself: "Orris is the perfect match for you." Orris was perfect Snape assented. Too perfect he thought sometimes, but he did have a nice time with her. How could one not? It is only natural to pet and fawn over kittens, was it not?  
  
He felt need to spend as much time with her as he could--it was as if the day wasn't long enough for...everything. A very foreign sensation. Snape knew she was perfect rather than felt it to be so. But he reasoned that after time, things would just click and he'd realize it fully. He did like spending his spare time with her. She was very intellectual and kept up with all the latest happenings, plus she was very friendly. She was also gorgeous, and Snape realized that wherever they went all eyes were on them. It was such a different reaction for him: Here he was being noticed by people regardless of how he looked, acted or how he snapped at people. He wondered whom was taking advantage of whom if this was so.  
  
Things were a mad whirlwind of school duties and spending time with her. She had kissed him on the cheek impetuously and Snape had stared after her dumbfounded as she waved and walked away from him into the night. Why would someone want to kiss him? Anyway? It was almost too much to be considered.  
  
He honestly wished things were the same as they had been--between he and Georgie at least--Orris was fine. He almost hoped Georgie would be nosy and ask her stupid, prying questions. Almost, but not really. He would grudgingly act insulted at the impertinence of the questions, then eventually tell her what he thought. He wanted to know what she was thinking and to tell her his thoughts on everything. Somehow, things became less mixed when argued out before Georgie. She'd probably laugh it all off or burp or something ridiculous. It was good to have another point of view and he valued her opinion. He shook his head and cleared his heads of such thoughts. Valued her opinion...ha.  
  
Georgie burst from her room, with her cauldron in hand, greeted him smiling, then excused herself as she headed off to the classroom. She had to make up some more burn salve. She had probably plenty, but she figured she should always have two full vials on hand. She was paranoid with her medical stores--almost as much as Snape was with his common potions. She sniffed at this, as she took the key out of her pocket and unlocked the dungeon classroom. But where Snape had poisons and Veritaserums, Georgie had healing and fixing potions. It seemed counter productive.  
  
She sighed as she heaved the cauldron down in the center of the room. She glanced around the classroom, it was so stark and bleak. And at night it cast crazy shadows about the place. "Boo." She murmured to herself. She gathered the necessary potions without thinking and placed a fire beneath it.  
  
Counterproductive, she pursed her lips. Sure is. He goes out with his poisons and tries to kill others, comes back half-dead himself, I fix him up so he can run out and do the same damn thing again. She knew it wasn't true. Snape wouldn't be one to enjoy killing anyone else--except Voldemort, she stopped herself. Thank God.  
  
She stirred the potion absently. I liked blowing stuff up heaps more than fixing stuff up. But I guess those days are over. Last weekend when Snape had gone to London to meet Orris, Georgie was feeling...she'd wanted to admit to be frustrated or stressed, but now she realized it was indeed jealousy. Georgie had grabbed her cloak and at midnight took off for the Forbidden Forest.   
  
She didn't venture far in--Hagrid had warned her about that time and again. She roamed the edges and with her wand, she blasted the hell out of several plants and trees. She figured she was far enough into the forest that no one up at Hogwarts had seen her, so she left a path of destruction behind her as she set fire to fallen limbs and offending bushes and shrubbery. At least it was warmer here among the burning and destruction. She really wished many of them had been Severus. Ah well, time will figure this all out, she sniffed, sounding a lot like Minerva. And also feeling a little more at ease.  
  
She remembered her task and bottled the finished potion numbly and returned to the deafening silence.  
  
  
  
  
The evening before Halloween Georgie was found lounging in her nightgown and slippers before the fire reading a Muggle novel about a navy submarine--she ate that stuff up like candy. It always amazed her that Muggles were so innovative--as to making a giant metal bubble sailing-ship--and to survive in it! With no magic! Amazing....  
  
Snape had left to see Orris directly after dinner and Georgie hadn't had a chance to talk to him, but she was getting slowly and reluctantly used to it. She ended up going places by herself and still having a grand time, just like the Pre-Snape days she laughed. In Poland she sometimes turned down the company of others because she didn't feel up to their company, and what crazy days those were, she reminisced lightheartedly.  
  
The rain was coming down again. It had subsided for a few days last week, but Georgie had hardly noticed. She told herself because she was so busy with classes: Divination and Defense Against the Dark Arts were taking a lot of her concentration.  
  
She smiled and sighed warmly. She set aside her book for a second and cracked her neck with her hands at the base of her neck. She felt sore. Must not be getting enough sleep. She glanced down at her wrist. Mickey smiled up at her and told her it was just past ten. Georgie wasn't waiting up for Severus as he wasn't out spying and it was very unlikely he'd come from seeing Orris with scratches. And if he did, Georgie didn't want to see them, know of them or hear how he got them from her.  
  
All of a sudden, she heard a light tapping noise. She craned her neck around and tried to determine from which direction the sound came. It seemed to be coming from the window. Georgie's heart leapt up into her throat? Was it a person trying to get in or something? She stood and stalked to the window straining to see if it were a person or just the wind rattling the panes. It was pitch black. She squinted and made out the faint outline of an owl using it's beak to tap at the glass. But the poor fellow was so wind-tossed he was having a poor time of it. She quickly unlatched the window long enough that he could fly in and escape the wind.  
  
The stupid bird flew about the room excitedly and Georgie almost knocked him out of the air to get the note attached to his leg off. She hopped it wasn't for Severus as he wasn't here to answer it directly. She finally freed the note and saw with surprise that it said 'George' simply. Cool. She grinned. Who the heck could this be from? And at such an hour!  
  
She opened it hastily and her face fell. It read:  
  
You are in danger. Get out of Hogwarts immediately. You must go to the place with the ruins, but go instead to the house. Do not leave once there. Leave this moment. Go!  
  
Sugar Lips  
  
  
  
She held the paper numb for a moment. She knew this was from Severus--still it didn't exactly strike her as characteristically him, so then what the hell? Was this a joke? It was pouring rain outside! And go to the island? It was dark and windy. Georgie knew where it was. She'd guessed by the time spent in the air, the direction went and the shape of the coast where it was--at least vaguely. She just didn't let on as Severus had hoped to have it remain unknown. She trusted him, but still....she felt ill. Was this a joke? She kept second-guessing her own judgment in her mind.  
  
Then with a sudden resolve, she ran to her room slipped into her shoes and threw her cloak over her nightgown. Almost as an afterthought she grabbed a small Muggle knapsack inside which she kept a first-aid kit of sorts, with potions included. She yanked up her broomstick and the owl and ran out into the hallway.   
  
On flinging open the heavy side doors and becoming immediately soaked to the skin with the rain, she wished she'd done a Water-Proofing Spell earlier. Shivering, she muttered one, let the owl go and stuffed the note into her pocket.  
  
She practically ran onto her broomstick, her teeth chattering in the wind. She hoped she wasn't heading into something foolish.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N--"In Fairbanks, Alaska, it is illegal to feed a moose an alcohol beverage." (Stupid Virgil Trivia Fact) Why would you want to? Oh yeah the song's the Smiths--assume it usually is. Won't be disappointed.  
Nothing else to say. Peace and goodwill to most everyone. Cheers. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen Snore

Chapter Thirteen--Snore  
  
  
  
  
  
More than an hour later she was lost. She was freezing and she must've been blown off-course by the high winds up here. She stayed relatively close to the ground, but it wasn't working very well. She was streaking across the sky much faster than the pace she'd kept with Severus, and she still wasn't anywhere near to where she'd thought she should be. Then again she wasn't as sure as she had been before taking off.  
  
Her mind was filled with a million scenarios. He might be there. Someone else might be there, pretending to be Snape. They might have gotten Snape--Georgie didn't want to think about it. She tried to keep her eyes and her focus on making out the dark shapes and landscapes below her. "I want to be in my bed!" She whined to herself, over the howl of the wind.  
  
She adjusted her cloak tighter around her and tried rubbing first one hand, then the other to try and get the circulation going. With a sigh of relief and an actual smile on her lips, she recognized the coastline and realized the island should be just a few minutes more from here. She actually felt warmer, she convinced herself. But her stomach still turned summersaults at what might be waiting for her there.  
  
She squinted through the rain and distinguished the craggy beginnings of the island and gradually slowed speed and turned circles lower and lower looking for a place to land. She didn't see the house Severus spoke of, and for a second her heart seemed to fail her. Wouldn't there be lights visible from up there? How was she to find a house that was hidden down there in the blackness? Oh, crikes.  
  
She landed where they had landed last time. The place looked much the same as it had then except everything was freaking pitch-black right now. She called out "Lumos," And her wand-end bursts into a radiant shower of light. Georgie spun around, thinking and surveying her surroundings all at once. She bit her lip. She knew the direction the food had flown from when they were down on the beach. She figured there'd probably be an easier way and a shorter one, but Georgie didn't want to waste time. She was cold and nervous and her wand hand was a little twitchy.  
  
She took a step forward and she found herself on the steep trail leading down to the beach. She slipped to the ground several times and she cut her hand on a small rock off to the side of the trail. "Damn!" She shrieked at the slight pain. If she wasn't carrying her broomstick and trying not to land on her back and inadvertently breaking the glass vials, she'd probably had done better. Her shoes were muddy and heavy as she stumbled onto the beach.  
  
She rushed past the boulders and crags standing sentinel over the crashing waves as quickly as possibly in wet sand. They looked eerie at nighttime. Georgie shuddered as she rushed past them and climbed a grassy hill. This was new territory for her and she wasn't completely sure which way to go. Before her stood a wall of trees--dark and thick.  
  
Damnit, why the hell didn't Snape advise her better? Go to the house? What kind of shit is that? I hate him, she decided. As she took her first step into the forest.  
  
  
  
  
She tried her best to walk straight through and to keep going and to not just jump on her broom and leave. She didn't have to go back to Hogwarts--she could go to Poland. She grinned. Or, she could show up on her parent's doorstep, muddy and in her nightgown.... She allowed herself a short laugh at the picture her mother would make.  
  
The forest wasn't as bad as she thought--at least the rain and wind weren't as bad in here. And it smelled nice. She giggled nervously. She began to say with every foot footstep "I hate Snape. I hate Snape." The rhythm needed a bit of work, but it kept her mind off of.... Things...  
  
Suddenly she scrambled through some thick over-brush and saw lights. Huh? But I didn't see them from the air? She walked towards them and saw that they were streaming from the high windows of a house. Georgie almost leapt for joy. The house was still a ways off, but it was unencumbered by trees at least--it was just a short run downhill. Her eyes extended wider and wider as she got closer and closer to the house. It was massive. Beyond massive. Freaking huge! It had nearly 20 windows on this side of the great doorway alone. She was probably exaggerating, but so the hell what. Wow, she stood aghast.   
  
She tromped straight up to the front door. There was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind telling her she should be more cautious, check the place and make sure it was alright. But the rest of her mind told that part to shut up--that might take forever and it was cold out here. Besides Severus was the spy, and there wasn't room for them both to be in that profession and not try and kill one another.  
  
She tried to stomp most of the mud off of her shoes and suddenly realized how awful she looked. She tried to mat down her dripping hair and smooth her cloak out. With a deep breath she lifted her fist--"Oh god I hope I don't regret this!"--and knocked on the door.  
  
A few seconds later she heard some scurrying behind the door then it opened slowly and light poured outside blinding her momentarily. When she was able to look again she saw a smiling house-elf looking up at her expectantly. Oh, Geesh, did Snape not say I was coming. Crap.  
  
"Uh...." She mumbled numbly, wondering what she was going to say to convince this house-elf to let her stay. She couldn't show it the letter as it was cryptic and wasn't even signed with his name. For a moment she panicked, thinking that she must've misinterpreted the note.  
  
"Hello?" Georgie looked uneasily at the creature. It was a girl house-elf dressed in a satin green pillowcase, and she smiled curiously up at her. Great. Just great. "Um, I don't know if you were expecting me. Probably weren't--but, well, my name is George Flaing and your, uh..." She stumbled over the words. "Your, eh, Master, Severus Snape, told me to come here--though I don't know why..." She trailed off, feeling so very stupid. Stupid for coming, for listening to Snape, for treating his jokes like it were real.  
  
"Oh. Yes. We've been expecting you, Missy Georgie. Please come in, you're soaking wet." Her big eyes took in her muddy feet and shivers. "Don't worry about the mud, just come inside!" She insisted, almost sternly. And who was Georgie to argue with a house-elf who wanted her way.   
  
Compared to the outside the house was heavenly. She stole a glance into two large drawing rooms to the right and the left of the entryway--which itself was quite massive and rose perhaps three stories high. Straight ahead there was a wide sweeping staircase that split and went two separate ways up into the dark.  
  
The house-elf was snatching at Georgie's cloak from atop a stool, trying to get it off of her. Georgie tried to assist her but it was like peeling off Spello-tape, and she was unfortunately making a small puddle of rain at her feet. The house-elf indicated a pair of huge slippers lying beneath a bronze mirror and Georgie wobbled over to them, slipped off her own shoes and slid into the slippers.  
  
Another house-elf appeared from around a corner down by the staircase and whisked away Georgie's cloak and her shoes. Georgie raised her hand and opened her mouth to protest, but nothing came out.  
  
The girl house-elf was named Cassy Georgie learned on inquiring, and she was bossy indeed. Georgie asked Cassy if anyone else was at home. Georgie heaved a sigh on learning that no one else was here. So, what the hell was she doing here? She had pictured herself as dashing in and single-handedly snatching Snape away from the Death Eaters who were holding him hostage in his own house. Dash that.....  
  
"So what am I to do here?" Georgie eyed Cassy. "Just wait around?"  
  
Cassy looked up. "I have had a letter from my Master. You are to wait here. I am not to let you out at all. You are not to wander the grounds," She was ticking off on her fingers. "You are not to explore the island, the shore, the ruins. You are not to blast trees and bushes about the property. You are not to leave this building," Georgie smiled discreetly at this. Damn, Severus could be funny in the strangest moments.   
  
"You are, However," She emphasized and caught Georgie's eyes. "To take food, have a bath, have a glass of wine, warm up, then get some sleep. In that order." She almost barked at her.  
  
"Are you serious?" Georgie chuckled.  
  
Cassy just starred hard at her. Georgie sighed, giving in. Whatever Snape was doing, if this wasn't deadly serious, then she was going to make it deadly serious for Severus.  
  
"Lead the way." Georgie smiled.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie wasn't accustomed to being pampered, and it rubbed her the wrong way in fact. She was quite capable of bathing herself. She'd howled at Cassy and another girl-elf as they kept jumping up on the mammoth tub and offering to wash her hair and dumping in scented liquids. It was actually pissing her off. She didn't like being naked in front of anyone--even girl-elves. She just wasn't used to it. The bubbles rose almost to her neck, thankfully, but Georgie was still short of temper. Oh yes, Snape would pay. Well, that was if he wasn't bleeding to death already.  
  
Cassy at last brought a big fluffy towel and left it on the side of the tub for Georgie to use when she was finished. Georgie waited until they'd both left the room before jumping up and wrapping it disorderly around her.  
  
The bathroom was completely darkened, but for a few candles--the whole upstairs of the house was dark in fact, as that was where the bathroom she was in happened to be. She sat carefully down on a stool before a great mirror. She nodded at her reflection. Her chubby cheeks were rosy from the heat and steam and her hair all piled up on her head--Cassy had done it even though Georgie had told her to push off--it looked kind of nice. She spun on the stool looking for her clothes.  
  
She stood up and peered out the door. It was dark down the hallway and she didn't see anyone around. "Cassy?" She called out nervously. A moment later Cassy came scurrying into view. "Yes Missy?"   
  
"Please call me Georgie. And you don't have to run. I was just wondering where are my clothes."  
  
"Missy can't wear her clothes. They are wet and you'd die of a cold." She pointed her tiny brown finger at her accusingly.  
  
"Uh, then what am I supposed to wear?" She asked cheekily.  
  
"Cassy is getting you clothes." And with that she turned her back on Georgie and disappeared once more.  
  
Hopelessness engulfed Georgie. She returned to her perch to wait Cassy's return. I hate this. I want my clothes, I want to go home. I don't think this funny. She felt her eyes mist up, but she pinched her arm to make herself not cry. I am killing Severus.  
  
Cassy returned a few moments later with a nightgown and a dressing robe. It wasn't Georgie's style. Hell, she couldn't even begin to fathom whose style this might fit. Georgie held it up before her and Cassy explained that they hadn't had a girl visitor in forever; they had to scramble to find clothing for her. It was white and very soft, and even too big for Georgie's solid frame. The sleeves fell low and were cuffed with a flowing ruffle that would hide her entire hand. It had a low neckline encircled by a ruffle collar. It was voluminous and very old-fashioned. The dressing robe might have belonged to an old relation, she guessed.  
  
Georgie grinned at the eager elf, "I think it's perfect. Thank you ever so much!" Cassy beamed proudly.  
  
Georgie quickly whipped it over her head with her towel still about her, then once it was on, let her towel drop to the floor. See there were tricks if one was body-shy.  
  
Georgie had already eaten a bit of bread and cheese before her bath. The house-elves even had Diet Cokes. "Bless your hearts!" Georgie exclaimed as she all but pounced on them. They were left over in the refrigerators from the picnic. Now she turned to Cassy and piped up, "What shall we do next?"  
  
Cassy gripped her hand and pulled her outside and towards a library of sorts. "Pick a book." Cassy gestured to the books lining the high walls. Georgie stood in her place shocked. "Snape's been holding out on me." She whispered to herself. She could spend years in a library like this. She scanned the shelves, letting her hand trail along the smooth wood bookcases and brush on the leather bindings. She finally decided on a W. Somerset Maugham collection--couldn't go wrong with a classic like that. She turned around and Cassy smiled at her and led her to another room. This one was a bedroom, but it was larger than most Hogwart's classrooms. Georgie immediately didn't like it. Too impersonal, too stadium-like. "Um, Cassy?" Georgie felt awful asking. "Do you have a smaller bedroom? This one's lovely and everything, but it's a bit big and scary and I just need a bed and a small little room, no fuss over me..." She mumbled off. Alright, so the idea of her tiny self in a mammoth room in the dark gave her an eerie feeling!  
  
Cassy nodded good-naturedly and led her back out of the room and into a much smaller room at the far-end of the hallway. It had a large four-poster bed and a fireplace with a long couch before it. A private bathroom was off to the side. Georgie sunk her toes into the carpet and nodded about approvingly. Cassy saw that and set to work stoking the fire up a bit and instructed Georgie to warm by the fire and read a bit--she'd be back in a few minutes.  
  
Georgie took the moment of being by herself to fling herself on the couch, lay on her back and stare up at the ceiling, getting lost in her thoughts. The house elves had insisted that this was no joke and that it was indeed their Master who had sent the note, when she had showed it to them.  
  
She was worried, to tell the truth. Maybe there was a bombing at the restaurant they went to. She didn't want to think about that, but she figured she might as well be prepared for the worst. At least she knew he wasn't in immediate danger if he had time to jot off a note. Still she didn't feel much easier. But she felt a great deal warmer as she lay beside the raging fire.  
  
Cassy returned dragging her Muggle backpack behind her and holding a glass and a bottle of wine. Georgie smiled and thanked her profusely. Cassy set them both down on a table and began to uncork the bottle.  
  
"Cassy? Did Severus say when he was returning here?"  
  
"No Missy. I'm sorry, but he didn't say."  
  
"And he didn't say where he was?" Georgie knew Cassy would have told her if she had known.  
  
"No, he didn't." She poured a glass and held it out to Georgie who accepted it gratefully. As soon as Cassy left her for the night, she'd down the entire bottle.  
  
"Will you be needing anything for tomorrow?" She smiled and held her hands behind her back. Georgie was impressed. So professional!  
  
"Actually yes. Clothing other than this of course, some parchment and a quill and some ink....and a water-gun." She threw that in just for good measure. When in doubt--ask for a water-canon.  
  
Cassy didn't seem surprised at her choice and bowed as she left her for the night. Georgie was sort of nettled at the whole situation--feeling so helpless. She sipped at her glass. It was quite good, she raised her eyebrows. It had a good nose and was very dry--a fantastic red actually. Snape had mad-skills with wines. He's always surprising me, she smirked. Well, having old money probably helped fine-tune those skills. But she stopped herself. It wasn't right to think about money and all, especially when Severus was a mere teacher and she didn't really know what he made.  
  
She wished she hadn't been left to her own thoughts. The longer she lay on this couch, the more she was convinced he was bleeding to death in some alleyway, or being tortured by Death Eaters who had discovered where his real loyalties lay. She wished he were okay. Sincerely.   
  
And whatever ill will she'd felt towards Orris she took it all back. If Severus were happy with her than she would love her to. Like Snape said, it takes some people a trip into hell to realize things. This was much too posh to be hell, but not knowing if your best friend was alive or dead is a kind of hell, when one thinks of it.  
  
She felt heavy and recognized that it was probably fatigue and exhaustion. She propped up her Muggle knapsack against her leg as she rummaged through it for a bandage for her hand and some nasty-stinging disinfectant. She bit her lip as she poured it on herself. Severus was always better at bearing the pain than I am, she thought ruefully. She quickly wrapped it up and closed her bag. She stood up and emptied her glass in one go, then corked the bottle.   
  
Her eyelids felt so very heavy and she padded flat-footed over to the bed. Turning back she extinguished the fire and lit a tiny candle on the bedside table. She pulled back the covers enough for her to jump inside. The covers were many in number and quite heavy. She picked them apart and laid them at the foot of the bed until it was just a down-comforter covering her. Much better she grinned. The bed was Hagrid-sized really--heavy solid wood, and very old-fashioned in design. Much too much of a bed for her. She imagined that probably 3 people could sleep in it without ever touching one another.  
  
"Perfect for slumber parties," she muttered to herself.  
  
The sheets were soft cotton and cool to the touch, but warmed up after a few seconds. Very simple and plain, but comforting at the same time. They were a sort of gray color. She slid down deep into them so only her head was visible. So warm and comforting. She really wanted to just have a good cry and let it all out and be done with that emotional nonsense, but sleep won out and she was soon snoring away lightly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Something had roused Georgie from her sleep. She listened for a second yet heard nothing. Slowly her eyes opened and tried to adjust themselves to the darkness surrounding her. Half way through the process she became aware that there was a person standing directly above her, leaning over her--a mere few inches from her face. Oh my god, she paralyzed in fear.  
  
"Yiiiiiiiiiii!" She opened up her mouth and screamed. The person above her jerked at her yell and grabbed both of her shoulders so she bellowed even louder and even more full of terror.  
  
She squinted her eyes up and baled her fists up preparing or the worst, hoping this was a bad dream.  
  
"Georgie!" A gruff voice was shouting at her, straining to be heard over her piercing shrieks.  
  
She closed her mouth reluctantly as the arms let go of her and she sat up, backing away, squinting to see in the darkness. This has got to be a dream, because that sounded like Severus....  
  
"Severus?" She asked carefully and quietly.  
  
"Yes." He stood up to his full height beside the bed illuminated by traces of moonlight drifting in.  
  
"Severus!" She yelled gratefully and flung herself out of bed and on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. The force knocked them both down to the ground.  
  
She squeezed him for a few minutes, almost reluctant to let go. Severus himself was a little surprised at the uncharacteristically warm greeting, but secretly smiled at it. She push-upped over him, so she could look him in the eyes. "You're really Severus Snape?" She asked giddily.  
  
"Of course." He growled.  
  
"You git!" She hit him on top of his head.  
  
"What was that for?" He demanded.  
  
"You have put me through a world of worry tonight. It has been hell! I thought you were dead, or in trouble...couldn't do a thing about it. Flying here in the storm, tromping across the island, Cassy stole my clothes after my bath!" She accused. Snape took in what she was wearing.  
  
"What are you wearing?!"   
  
"Ask her." She sighed. Severus pushed her up and off of him to a sitting position on the ground next to him. They sat starring in the darkness at one another.  
  
"You were in danger though. Orris turned out to be a Death Eater." Georgie's hand went up to her mouth.  
  
"I'll be damned, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize...Are you okay?" Her eyes filled with worry turned on him.  
  
"I'm fine. It turned out she was one of the five at the Ministry that failed Voldemort, remember my telling you about them?" She nodded. "Well, to make a long story short, she confronted me last night about her suspicions that I wasn't being faithful to Voldemort. It turned out she'd known all along that I was a Death Eater, but I never knew she was affiliated of course. She was going to turn me in, but I stunned her--good practice I had gotten with you." He grinned, maliciously, as Georgie rolled her eyes.  
  
"I sent off the letter to you immediately, because you and Dumbledore were the only people connected to me that she knew of. Dumbledore joined me shortly in an upper room in the Leaky Cauldron, and we managed to force some Veritaserum in her. She told that she hadn't done anything to harm you yet or anyone else at Hogwarts and she hadn't at yet had a chance to tell anyone her suspicions about me." He ran his hand through his hair. "She wanted to test her theories first...."  
  
"Where's she now?" Georgie whispered, not wanting to really hear this.  
  
"Azkaban for holding. Dumbledore stayed with her and handed her over to the authorities." Georgie nodded and looked over his shoulder and out the window.  
  
"I'm so sorry Severus. It's so rotten, I knew that you liked her and all. That she should turn out to be so, well, as you put it, 'wicked,' is now terrible. I'm so sorry." She grasped his hand quickly and squeezed it.   
  
"I never really cared for her, as you put it." He admitted, to Georgie's shock.  
  
"But I thought, well.... But you spent so much time with her. And you were always saying how perfect she was." Georgie babbled.  
  
"You were always saying how perfect she was too. I figured that I'd try and like her for her own sake, but I couldn't. I knew I should because she was so.... Well, how she was--Perfect for me? She was too perfect. Plus everything she had said was a lie. I kept my guard up every time after you had told me you didn't really know her very well. Good thing too, looking back at tonight..." He mused with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"I could have got you killed." She couldn't meet his gaze in the dark. "I introduced her without a thought in my head about how bad she could be for you. I'm so sorry, Severus. Really. I'm a horrible friend." She sniffed and felt hot tears betraying her by gliding down her cheeks.  
  
Impulsively she flung herself around his neck once more and cried into his shoulder. Her body racked with loud sobbing and sniffling.  
  
Snape didn't know what to do, so he sat there with his mouth clamped shut like a stone statue. Should he pat her head, or her back? Hug her back? Say something? To hell with it, he gingerly wrapped his arms around her and hugged her delicately back.  
  
When her wailing softened, she pulled away and looked at him with wet eyes, wiping her nose on handkerchief she produced from the air with her hand. "Sorry. Guess I was just a little emotional. Glad you're back and alive and all that..." She rushed on embarrassed, blowing her nose loudly.  
  
Severus grinned widely and swooped over and hugged her once again. She dropped her handkerchief in surprise, as the air was being pressed out of her lungs. "Ah!" She squealed in laughter. Finally batting him off so she could breathe, she grinned at him as she clutched her throat. She rasped, "I could get used to that hug thing maybe..."  
  
He smirked back. "But not in front of anyone else."  
  
"Of course not 'Sugar Lips'." She winked and snorted with laughter, getting to her feet.  
  
"Well, it worked didn't it?" He pointed out.  
  
"I couldn't figure out if you were making fun of me or you were drunk or something....Speaking of which, have a glass of wine." She pointed to the table, and Snape followed orders.  
  
"You sound like Cassy." He huffed.  
  
"I learn from the best. You have fine wine here." She complimented.  
  
"Thank you," he smiled at her.  
  
"Now, have you seen Cassy? Do you have any cuts or burns or injuries?" She sat on the sofa and pulled the knapsack into her lap.  
  
Snape eyed it curiously. "A bag of goodies?" He set down his glass and un-tucked his shirt to show his side to her.  
  
She squinted at it. It was a burn. "Aw, and you let me hug you with this?" Her eyes wide.  
  
"I don't 'let' anyone hug me." He growled.  
  
"Soap and bullshit...shut up and sit down." She directed unceremoniously.   
  
"How'd it happen?" She left the wound briefly to look him in the eyes.  
  
"Firebomb." He volunteered casually.  
  
"Holy crap. That girl's not right."  
  
"Oh, there's one waiting for you in your room at Hogwarts too. Remind me to get to it before you go in--wouldn't want you to accidentally trigger it."  
  
She stopped what she was doing. "Of course I'm going to remind you!" She looked at him like he had five heads.  
  
He only winced slightly as she cleaned out the wound. She blew lightly over it to relieve the stinging. "There now, all better." As she tied off the last bandage.  
  
"You know 'Sugar Lips' was my name." She pouted at him as he tucked in his shirt. "You should go to sleep."  
  
"I was wrong--you're worse than Pomfrey." He scowled.  
  
"Hey, I'm cooler than Pomfrey. Pomfrey doesn't sing the HukiLau...."  
  
Oh we're going, to the hukilau,   
Huki huki, huki huki, huki hukilau.   
Everybody loves the hukilau,   
Where the laulau is the kaukau at the hukilau.   
  
Oh we throw our nets out into the sea,   
And all the ama-ama come a-swimming to me.   
  
Oh we're going to the hukilau,   
a huki huki huki, hukilau.   
  
  
Georgie giggled as she danced to the children's song on top of the sofa. It was now Snape's turn to stare at her like she was insane. She really was a bit schizophrenic: she had gone from serious to childish without a clear transition.  
  
She bowed and applauded herself. "See, wasn't so bad."  
  
"Yes. It was." He shook his head disbelieving.  
  
She snorted. "I should hex you," as she sat down.  
  
"I dare you." He said seriously.  
  
"I could and I would. Even if I managed to smash your brains up, I could probably repair them--no harm done. You on the other hand, have reservations about hurting ladies." She folded her arms across her chest.  
  
"I hurt one tonight." He pointed out unemotionally.  
  
"Sorry." Though she didn't 'feel' too sorry.  
  
"You should go to bed."  
  
"Did you get something to eat?" Georgie interrupted.  
  
"Yes. Go to bed."  
  
"No." She stood up definitely.  
  
"I'll hex you." He raised his eyebrows, repeating her threat back at her.  
  
"Whatever. I just said it to nark you." She shrugged her shoulders and walked to the window. The rain was coming down in torrents still.  
  
"Did you apparate here?" She turned to ask him.  
  
He looked up to her and nodded. "Why aren't you in the bigger bedroom, by the way?"  
  
"Too big. Didn't like it." She crossed the floor. "Cassy said I'd like this better. This one is more my size." She grinned and hugged her arms around herself.  
  
"I feel the same for it. Now get to bed." He growled, actually starting to sound like he meant it.  
  
She bowed her head and crossed the floor crawled back into the enormous bed. "Bummer. And I was planning on painting your finger-nails and telling ghost stories..."  
  
"Where are you going to sleep?" She asked shortly and little bit panicky.   
  
"Probably on the couch right here." He patted the seat beside him. He just didn't feel like leaving.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I feel like it." He sneered.  
  
"Suit yourself, goober." And he lay back and disappeared from her sight.  
  
Georgie tossed about for several minutes. She was actually feeling quite elated. Things were good and happy and she had her best friend back. She wanted to bounce off the walls, not sleep. She pouted in the dark. It is easy to pout when one has big lips.  
  
Silently she slipped off the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. On returning she spied a guitar leaning up against a chest by the bathroom door. Oh my goodness. She wanted to slap herself. This was Severus' room. The old guitar was his. She felt like such an ass. He should have told her--she would have slept in the big bedroom. She rolled her eyes at Cassy.  
  
She padded silently over to the couch Snape was sprawled out on--all gangly limbs. She looked down at him. She was sure he was awake. "Severus?" She whispered fiercely.  
  
His eyes opened and focused on her. I hate how he just naturally sees in the dark, walks silently...she lamented to herself. "Come to bed. You shouldn't sleep here." She knew it wasn't her thing and maybe the situation was making her lose touch with reality. She couldn't make out his expression.  
  
"That wouldn't look right." He whispered lowly at her.  
  
"Come on. I won't touch you --wouldn't with a ten-foot pole--and I won't tell a soul." She pestered. "Girl Scout's Honor." She raised three fingers like an oath. Snape had no idea what she was doing though.   
  
"You weren't ever a Girl Guide."  
  
"True," She laughed. "I wish you'd stop listening to me. But it's not comfortable there, I know. You need sleep--Doctor's orders. You move or I'll leave, I swear it. And I won't mess with you. The bed's freaking enormous and you won't even know I'm there. Come on, humor me. It's your bed and you need sleep, I'd feel better about you knowing you're tucked in close-by." She offered him a hand up. He eventually grasped it and she helped him to his feet.  
  
She returned to her side of the bed and Snape moved silently to his side of the bed. This was odd, Georgie thought to herself. She was trying to do the right thing, but now she didn't particularly want to sleep beside her friend--just too strange. They both crawled in at the same time. Georgie was right: they weren't even close to touching each other, and for that she was very grateful.  
  
Now she just wanted to pass out and wake up and find it to be Halloween. She stared straight up at the darkened canopy. She just couldn't get comfortable, and flopped on one side then the other. She didn't even turn when she heard a voice at her side. "Are you alright?" He sounded slightly annoyed, or maybe she read too much into it.  
  
"Uh-huh." She whispered. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes." He paused for a few moments, but she could hear him breathing. She sounded anxious or frightened perhaps? "Of course you must have bunked with someone else before, correct?" He asked. She frowned at this question, but he was just probably making sure she felt comfortable or else being nosy and stupid as usual. "Um, my brother. It was always on foreign tours in foreign hotels when we were much younger."  
  
"Oh." He accepted. "Foreign? Neither have I. Foreign."  
  
Georgie didn't catch his meaning, nor did she care to. "Goodnight Severus." She whispered.  
  
"Goodnight Georgie," He replied. And seconds later her light snoring filled the bed.  
  
Severus wanted to laugh--a great big belly-ache, to get rid of the tension and the anxieties. He wished he could fall into sleep as easily as she could. He envied her.  
  
She accepted things as they came, no questions. He, well, wasn't like that at all. He lay awake that night for hours--going over every little thing. Dissecting it. He specially mulled over his behavior to Orris and everything he'd ever told her. He felt like a dupe. It had nothing to do with Georgie, but it was all about how he continued in something he felt wasn't right. Had his intuition gone so far astray, that he pushed warning signs away because he felt that it was just because she was female he felt odd?! Georgie and Minerva were female and both of them are good witches--he'd never had any problem with them, with distrusting them or anything they said. He should have known.  
  
Another thing was bothering him. Well, it wasn't really bothering him, he argued with himself. It was more like the changing of a guard. No, that wasn't right either. Though letting down a guard was also somewhat wrong. He clenched and unclenched his fists in thought. It had to do with his hugging her. He had no problem really with her hugging him. He expected it and figured it was bound to happen anyway. She was female after all, and they tended to be more touchy. At first he was surprised--well who wouldn't be? But he was even more surprised at his instigating such an action. He wasn't against to it. It was a natural byproduct of friendships and all, but that fact that it started through him....  
  
Severus Snape's parents weren't the kindest or most empathetic of souls. No, he wouldn't lie to himself. They were evil. They'd have rather beat him than hug him. He had a bachelor uncle for years that used to be his one source of happiness and friendly touch. They used to 'horse-around' and hug and pat each other on the back affectionately. But he died early on. And he was left with only his parents as examples. They were cold and cruel and it was no great wonder Severus turned out to be so much like them, even though he had fought against it.  
  
He wouldn't go so far as to say he was glad that they were gone. He was a proud man, and one should never say that of one's family members. But he was glad they weren't here, and that they hadn't been here for twenty years. He'd hardly been here himself for all that time. He looked around, peering out through a part in the drawn curtains on his side of the bed. He wondered how Georgie had figured out it was his room.  
  
Finally settling back down against his pillows, he laughed at the irony of the situation. He then shut his eyes and let the night envelop him as he sunk into a heavy sleep.  
  
  
  
He opened his eyes, feeling much better. His side only slightly ached. He lifted himself up onto his elbow to attempt to rouse Georgie. He frowned though when he took in that she wasn't there. "I wonder what time it is?" He questioned the bedposts, as he slipped onto the floor.  
  
He went to the bathroom and cleaned himself up a bit before breakfast--no lunch. He spied his clock on the mantelpiece. It told that it was just afternoon. He wondered that he could sleep so long and so well, but shrugged. Well it had been a personal and emotional day for me--not used to it. Probably need the sleep. Besides, today's a Saturday. No hurry.  
  
He showered and dried off quickly. As he stood before the mirror in his towel with the bathroom door, he kept hearing shrieks and yells and shouts running back and forth in front of his door. It's a miracle I didn't hear that in my sleep, or they'd be dead. Georgie had to be behind this. The house elves weren't that lunatic. He combed his hair and got dressed.   
  
He crossed the bedroom in a long strides and threw open the door and stepped into the wide and long hallway. His eyes weren't prepared for the scene that met them. There was a troop of house elves--all of them armed with water pistols and Georgie in her nightgown at the far end squealing as they all descended on her. But she shook herself free of their sprays and opened up on all of them with her larger water-rifle, giggling maniacally.  
  
Several of the elves went scurrying out of the hallway looking for cover, some down the stairs. They were all laughing and hooting madly. His eyes grew into saucers when Cassy and Georgie appeared to duel against each other. The stood back to back--well, back to leg, and paced off. They both drew their weapons at the same moment, but Georgie dodged the shorter gun's spray and pelted poor Cassy.  
  
Snape stood watching them highly amused. His house had never been so full of sounds, so busy...so chaotic. He sighed, pity to break this up. He marched down to the group.  
  
Several of the house-elves dodged out of their Master's way--they probably knew what was coming. Soon it was only Cassy and Georgie between Snape and the end of the hallway. They both turned around to face him, with very different countenances. Cassy appeared ashamed, even frightened. Georgie appeared cocky and playful. Snape didn't scare her, no matter how much her snarled and growled and bellowed.  
  
"Good Morning, Sugar Lips." She said evenly, grinning the entire time. When she spun around, her gun's barrel sought out his person.  
  
"Good Morning Snore-Monster." He countered.  
  
"Oo, that's a good one. Points for creativity Severus."  
  
He stared at the gun uneasily. "Alright now, don't shoot me."  
  
"Oh come on! I so wouldn't do that!" She denied as she squeezed the trigger and Snape got a mouthful of water and his wet shirt clung to his small frame. She smiled, "Oops. My bad." She stuck her tongue out.  
  
He pushed his wet hair out of his face then started for her and the gun, grinning evilly. "Oh you'll pay for that, Missy!"   
  
"So that's where the house-elves get it from..." She started, but on seeing him close up the distance between them, her muscles failed her for a half-of-a-second and she dropped the gun with a thud on the floor.  
  
"Ay!" She squeaked as she dodged his progress, and backed away.   
  
He picked up the gun, turned it over in his hands, examining it. "Run." He instructed her without looking up.  
  
Georgie turned and ran like the devil was at her heels, which in essence was true. She sprinted down the hallway and heard Snape at her heels. She grabbed a corner for leverage as she spun herself around and down their side of the great staircase, whooping and hollering all the time. She leapt off the bottom few stairs and hopped down towards the kitchens. She caught sight of Severus over her shoulder. He was walking at a normal pace and laughing to himself. She was insulted that he was giving her such a lead. But on second observation, she realized she needed it. The house was labyrinthine. And he of course would know it--inside and out.  
  
Georgie ducked into a door on her right. It turned out to be another library--or perhaps the same one--she wasn't completely sure. There was a spiral staircase leading to the top and a door at the end of that balcony. She clambered up the metal stairs and ran for the door just as Snape entered in below. She pushed open the door and found herself in a part of the house she didn't recognize--but what else was new. She jogged down the hallway.  
  
She heard Severus call her name from back in the library, yeah right, she thought. You wish.   
  
At the end of this hallway there crossed another hallway. Georgie looked both ways. One side was doors, doors and more doors. But the other side looked much more promising. It ended up into a huge open room. She ran towards it. It was perhaps three stories tall and walled on three sides by green glass. On first approaching it she thought it was a conservatory or a sunroom of sorts. But hopping down onto a broad landing, she descended stone stairs that lead down to an enormous indoor swimming pool.   
  
Awesome, she muttered under her breath. It was more like a lake. There was a bridge over it and Georgie crossed this first. It was arched, like the ones in Venice, but it wasn't nearly as tall. The rail came up to her waist--if that. She leaned far over and looked down into the water. How wonderful, she smiled.  
  
When she stood back up a voice hissed in her ear. "Guess who?" And pushed her.  
  
She screamed as she hit the water with a dull thud. He chuckled to himself and then leaned over and watched for her to come back up, yelling and cursing him. He shifted from one foot to the other. He could see her form clearly--colors shifting beneath the movement of the waters. He frowned. She still hadn't risen to the surface. He stared longer, she wasn't moving down there. It was taking too long. His heart beat against his ribcage.  
  
Damn, he cursed to himself, as he threw aside the water gun and dove in after her. He kicked effortlessly to the bottom of the deep pool. She lay in a heap, swaying slightly with the water. He grabbed a hold of her under her arms, and struggled to bring her to the surface. Her head lolled to the side of her neck and he held her head above water as he swam them to the side and hefted her up. He raised himself up afterwards and lay beside her body. "Damnit Georgie." He cursed. He listened for her breathing, but didn't sense it. He tilted her forehead back slightly and bent over her mouth--  
  
"Yick! Don't kiss me!" She screeched as she threw her hands between her face and his, then opened her eyes and grinned.  
  
Severus looked livid. "Don't ever do that to me again, Georgie!" He bellowed.  
  
She just looked up at him innocently. Blinking so often. "I'm sorry. It was a bad joke." She sat up.  
  
"Promise me as long as you live that you'll never pretend to be dead with me." He shook her shoulders. "Promise me!"  
  
"I swear it, Severus." She quivered, very frightened of him.  
  
"Good." He held onto her tightly. Then pulled away and go to his feet. "I'm hungry. Want to eat?" He helped her to her feet. She nodded.  
  
"Let's go then." She looked quite ashen-faced. So Snape grabbed up her hand. "Georgie it's not the end of the world. By the way, Happy Halloween." And with that he yanked her arm behind him and sent her flying back into the pool.  
  
  
  
  
They both sat at a table up against the wall in the kitchen, eating a hearty soup. Cassy insisted it would warm them both up in no time.  
  
"You know? That's two nightgowns in as many days that I've gotten sopping wet. I'm pathetic."  
  
"You said it, I didn't." Severus slurped his soup.  
  
Georgie shot him a dirty look. She was wearing a large black shirt of Severus', but she ashamedly didn't fit into his tall and thin trousers, so Cassy had gone hunting through the family's old clothing and come across a black skirt with a tie waistband that fit her fine. She looked the mirror image to Severus, sitting across from him, wearing once again all black.  
  
"I want my clothes back." She complained to her soup.  
  
Snape looked up blankly. "As soon as it's dry..."  
  
Setting her spoon down and snatching up a slice of bread, she stared at Severus. "I'm going to have to look at your side after lunch. We shouldn't have let it get wet."   
  
"Some things can't be helped." He murmured.  
  
"Really, we might have to disinfect it all over again and that'd suck."  
  
"For me or you?"  
  
"Both of us." She spat shortly.  
  
"Any chance to get my shirt off..." He said seriously, but his eyes flashed and gave him away.  
  
"Oh shut-up. You are so tragic!" She mocked and drank her Diet Coke.  
  
Snape sat bolt upright on his stool. "Hmm. I guess I am." Then bent back over his food.  
  
"Shit. Tonight's that stupid Halloween feast and dance." She shook her head.  
  
"I thought you were trying to stop swearing." Snape prodded without looking up.  
  
"I was." She sighed. "I'm doing an awful job at it though. But you must've been listening quite well once again. It's true enough, but I can't for the life of me remember when I told you that." She admitted in all amazement  
  
"That's because you didn't." He made sure she registered the correct amount of confusion on her face before going on. "Minerva told me."  
  
"That two-timer." Georgie accused jokingly.  
  
"She's told you things about me, so hush yourself up."  
  
"But I don't let those things slip." She emphasized.   
  
"So you don't want to attend the Halloween feast? Why ever not? I of course know my own reasons for not wishing to go, but I'm curious to hear yours." Severus pushed his bowl aside.  
  
"Oh, it's not the feast. Food is my friend. It's the dance. Oh why couldn't I be placed as a first year." She groaned.  
  
Severus smirked, "Can't dance?"  
  
"Nope, I can dance. Cha-cha, Swing, Foxtrot, Merengue, heaps of dances like those. It's just the free-form modern, discotheque dancing. Not too good with that, I'll probably try and find a way to sneak out early or something..."  
  
Snape just smiled at that and guaranteed that they'd make it back in time for the dance.  
  
  
  
  
Later they were both seated on the couch in Severus' room and Georgie was going through her knapsack for clean bandages. On finding them, she reached over and lifted the side of his shirt up.   
  
"You are rather stiff." Severus noted.  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry." She stuck a bottle between her teeth as she unwrapped the old bandages with both hands.   
  
"Why?" He sounded like a small child. And she told him she thought that of him before responding: "Never you mind. It's not important."  
  
She concentrated on the wound, frowning at it. It was mostly healed, but still it looked bad. She didn't want to do it or even say it but still: "It needs to be disinfected again." Looking up at him, she grimaced. "Sorry."  
  
She looked sad. He just looked at her and nodded vacantly. He waved his hand at her unaffectedly.  
  
She did it quickly and she winced when he winced, but she blew lightly on it for a minute afterward--like she would have had he been a child, then wrapped him up tight.  
  
He stood and strutted around the room, stretching his arms out and rolling his shoulders. "It's good." He called to her.  
  
"Good. Stop hurting yourself then." She packed her things back into the knapsack. "I'd much rather be blasting you than fixing you. No offense. " She grinned and looked up at him sheepishly.  
  
"None taken." He scowled nonetheless. "Are you ready to go back?"  
  
"Yup. Ready Freddy." She stood.  
  
She looked down at her clothes and shrugged. He followed her eyes and stopped pacing. "I can check one more time with Cassy for your Nightgown, but may I actually suggest that you borrow those? You can wear your cloak over them. It might look a bit silly if you flew in your nightclothes."  
  
"Point taken. You're flying?"  
  
"Yes."   
  
"Oh joy, do I get blindfolded?" She begged bitterly.  
  
"Only if you want." He headed out the door.  
  
"Oh, definitely." She snarled.  
  
  
  
Later with a promise from Snape to return her nightgown as soon as he could, he and Georgie stood before the house with broomsticks in hand.  
  
"What's the name of this island?" Georgie motioned with a sweep of her hand.  
  
"Can't tell you." He said from behind her.  
  
"Why not?" She demanded.  
  
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." He said dryly. "I heard you say that once. I liked it."  
  
"Gawd. No. I was joking Severus!" She whined as she saw his present actions and her hands went up to defend her face, but were slapped away by Snape's own hands. He had tied the blindfold on. "You're joking?"  
  
"No. Cassy said you'd gotten slightly lost on the way and that is good. It's still for your own safety that we do this."   
  
"And still for your own amusement." Georgie chided.  
  
"You realize the importance after last night. The less you know for certain the better." He said in a tone that didn't allow for discussion.  
  
"I hate you." She snarled.  
  
"Excellent." He handed over her broom and they were off.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: hello darlings, the song methinks is traditional, my younger sister sang it when she was eight. Think it's an island song. All I know is it isn't The Smiths. Wish it were....  
I like making things up, houses, dances, elves, emotions....I should try and be a pathological liar--looks like great fun. Sooo squiffy...... 


	14. Chapter Fourteen Bats in the Ballroom

Chapter Fourteen--Bats in the Ballroom  
  
  
  
  
  
They landed at Hogwarts with, just like Severus said, with time to spare. She wished he'd have lied.  
  
Snape hurried off to find Dumbledore and Georgie considered drowning in the lake. But she thought the giant Squid might been annoyed by her presence down there.  
  
Sighing in resignation she stalked off to the bathroom. The twins flagged her down before she reached there and pressed her for where she'd gone--they'd looked everywhere for her. She just explained that she took off for a friend's house last-night and just returned from there this moment. Everyone was milling around the Common Room, some already wearing their dress robes, as envious younger students glared on.  
  
She'd give her place to any of them if she could. She re-washed her hair and tied it back into a ponytail. Good enough, she grunted at the reflection in the mirror. Snape was sitting on the couch when she returned but Georgie breezed by him only asking him if he'd gotten the Firebomb, and he assured her he had. She had a couple dress robes she had to choose from and she threw the wardrobe door open violently. Snape heard it in the other room, and wondered what she was getting up to.  
  
She took them all out and threw them on the bed. She had green, red, burgundy, black, gray, and deep blue. She scratched her head as she debated between them. Green and red were too Christmas-ey. And as there was to be a Christmas ball later, she'd leave those for then. Black looked too mournful, or gothic. Personally she liked the gray and the deep blue.  
  
She strode over to her bedroom door and flung her head out, "Grey or blue?"  
  
Severus turned around. "Gray or blue what?"  
  
"Just gray or blue."  
  
"I suppose gray." She thanked him, then ducked back inside. Figures.  
  
But she put the gray on. It was Halloween and it was the closest to black she was going to get to tonight. She opened the bottom section of her wardrobe and sat before it on her knees. Her shoes were all contained down there. She reached in and started throwing shoes out over her shoulder once she determined that they wouldn't work, some of them hit the bed and landed on the floor with a thump while others flew into the walls. Georgie was muttering to herself, like a madwoman.   
  
Severus, frowned as he heard her talking to herself, then hearing loud thumps. He hoped she wasn't beating herself up to get out of the dance. He laughed at the image. Gradually the noises subsided, and Severus returned to his book in hand.  
  
She picked through her jewelry. She was looking for the enchanted necklace and bracelet she'd bought with Minerva before school had even started. She found them both and slipped them both on. She couldn't really remember what they were enchanted to do, but figured if it were something interesting she'd have hints to it by the end of the evening. Maybe it made her a sort of Dancing Queen.... She stepped into her flats and hopped over in front of the mirror. She let down her hair and quickly twisted it up into a full bun, with a few stray ringlets down the back. Kinda cute, she winked at her mirror self. Boring, but cute.  
  
She burst through the door and stood at the end of the couch, adjusting her sleeves and frowning at a scuff on her shoes. "Ready?" She asked Severus.  
  
He stood up and moved past her to put his book on the bookshelf by the door.  
  
"Ready." He called to her and she looked up and took a step towards him, muttering and complaining. But she took only that one step before stopping all progress. She stared wide-eyed at Severus "Oh my gawd." She exclaimed as her mouth fell and stayed open. He was sitting there like this the entire time?!  
  
He had a fabulous black robe on, not at all like his usual high-neck ones. And his hair was pulled back into a small braid. But it wasn't just that, he looked...healthier. Not so dead white, but slightly ruddy. He squirmed under her scrutiny though, not recognizing it for praise, but rather for horror.  
  
"What? Is it that bad?" He held up his arms and tried to look at his back, while spinning in circles.  
  
"Bad?" She asked incredulously as she moved to stand before him. "No. I'm just wondering how I could have missed you. You look nice." She gushed.  
  
His face blanched, "Perhaps I'll change then..." His hand went up to his hair.  
  
She slapped his hands. "Like hell you will. You don't realize how good you look? You're a regular hottie!" She grabbed him by the arm and led him back until he was standing in front of her mirror. "You're gonna break some hearts tonight!" She teased, then pulled him back towards the exit knowing full well she was pumping his ego up bigger than it already was. At least when he knew himself to be physically unattractive, he could only gloat about intellect. Here she was handing him ammunition for his mind-cannon.  
  
The Slytherins were already at the feast thank goodness or Snape's legs dragging might have hindered their progress even more.  
  
Severus protested right up to the doors of the Great Hall. Georgie hissed naughtily, "Come on. It'll be fun. You deserve to turn some heads and kick a little ass." And with that she pushed the doors wide open and dragged him inside after her.   
  
Georgie out-paced him as she made a beeline for the high table leaving Severus mercilessly to the eyes of everyone on the school. He collected his wits about him and strode purposefully forward stony-faced. Neighbor elbowed neighbor to turn around and see as he passed by. A hum of whispering swept through the Hall. Snape had to admit he enjoyed the attention somewhat.   
  
He almost forgot to sneer until he reached the teachers. Quite a few of them had similar wide-mouthed expressions on their faces as well. Only Dumbledore smiled his quiet smile and Georgie looked about to bust up in raucous laughter. He passed behind her and she smiled wickedly at him, winking. He seated himself next to Dumbledore who commented offhandedly on his fine choice in robes tonight. Severus' face paled as he felt all the eyes on him, not out of their usual fear or loathing, but their feeling something altogether different towards him. He was disgusted at how fickle people could be--wear a different robe and suddenly they saw you in a different light.  
  
The feast started presently and Snape ate with great relish. Georgie at the other end of the table was joking with Binns and Hagrid and Lupin about the bats fluttering around beneath the ceiling. Binns suggested that Snape might attempt to join them, they all snickered at that--especially as it came from the dry and boring Ghost Professor.  
  
Binns told her that her outfit was enchanting. Georgie thanked him, and wondered what could be making the man so vocal. Georgie poured herself a glass of juice and reached across to Professor Lupin to snatch a dinner roll. "Happy Halloween," She wished him happily.  
  
"Thank you." He smiled weakly at her. "Happy Halloween to you too. And might I say that that dress is quite becoming on you. You look altogether enchanting tonight." Georgie almost dropped the roll. Praise from Lupin was praise indeed. She thanked him kindly complimenting his new robes also, but also a little confusedly. The twins would kill her when she told them he said that to her.  
  
She finished her food and chewed absently. Dumbledore stood up and the room silenced. It turned out that there was to be a sort of talent showcase for the hour between the feast and the Dance's beginnings and all years were welcome to attend. Georgie scowled. She'd seen the notice posted on the wall telling about the auditions simply ages ago. But she'd thankfully forgotten. Too bad it was all coming back now, she rubbed her forehead.  
  
Hagrid dragged her thoughts back and they chatted for several minutes about the talent entries, Georgie watching as Hagrid nervously tied and undid his tie several times. She wanted to slap his hands down, he was making her nervous as well.  
  
The talent showcase was a complete and utter waste of time, if Georgie could have put it any nicer, she would have. But she didn't feel like it. She was bored to tears. The trio of Gryffindor girls singing some medieval ballad that went on for almost 40 verses. Points for memory work, points off for being tedious. While she sat there she thought up a question to ask Madam Pomfrey for the next lesson, she thought up an entire letter to her mother and she bit off two of her fingernails.  
  
The younger classes were dismissed and everyone stood as Dumbledore swept the tables to the sides of the room with a swish of his wand. Georgie stayed put and watched the nervous lads eyeing the girls, but not advancing towards them. She rolled her eyes. Babies. Music wafted from.... somewhere. She raised her eyes all about the great room but never did find the source.   
  
Hagrid stood up and explained that he was going to ask Minerva to stand up with him. Poor Minerva she giggled. Before he left, Hagrid turned to her and casually mentioned how she looked enchanting this evening and she'd better remember to save him a dance. As soon as he walked away Georgie frowned deeply and stared into space.  
  
She turned when she heard someone sit next to her and beheld Severus. She smiled at him then looked back out over the dance floor.  
  
"Trewlaney won't leave me alone." He remarked sullenly.  
  
"That's because you look fab. Perfectly marvelous." She drawled.   
  
"You know, you look very...." He paused for a minute scrutinizing her.  
  
She held up her hand. "Wait don't say it. We're you going to say 'enchanting' perchance?"  
  
His eyes widened suspiciously "Yes. How did you kn..."He broke off as he watched her rip off her necklace and bracelet and discarded them on the table in front of her.  
  
She turned to him. "I thought they was enchanted. Not that they'd make me appear enchanting." She said miserably.  
  
The corners of his mouth twitched amusedly. "Keep them on then." He suggested.  
  
"Nope. I'd rather I got attention the old-fashioned way. By causing trouble and by earning it without the aid of magic." She looked disgustedly at it.  
  
"Wise enough." He assented.  
  
"Nah. Not wise. Selfish." She grinned at him, before looking back over the dance floor. Siobhan and Niamh were frantically waving at her. Severus pointed them out to her. "It think your fan club wants a word."  
  
They both rushed up to the table and stood beside Snape and talked to Georgie.   
  
"Oh my goodness, Look at Lupin's new robes. Aren't they to-die-for?" Niamh pretended to faint.  
  
Siobhan glanced over her shoulder. "He even looks like he'd like to dance, standing there all by himself looking at the floor. Do you think he'd like to?" She posed.  
  
Snape answered, "I happen to know that he's very fond of dancing. Look and he doesn't have a partner. One of you should ask him to a friendly dance. He won't bite you know." Severus winked at Georgie, and she pretended to gag.  
  
Naimh seemed dead set against it and Siobhan was trying to get enough courage together to ask him. Georgie snatched up the necklace and bracelet and slipped one of them each onto the girls. "Trust me, boys'll notice them." And sitting back down, she threatened." If one of you doesn't ask him I will for you and that'll be beyond embarrassing--I'll assure that." She laughed playfully.  
  
Niamh didn't look convinced. "But he's a professor!" She insisted.  
  
"Yes and he's also a boy. And boys like to dance with girls, so get going or you'll feel my wrath!" She growled as they turned away.  
  
Severus commented. "Your logic astounds me. But you do wonders for those girls." He pointed out into the room first at Siobhan dragging Lupin onto the dance floor and then at Niamh being dragged there by Hagrid.   
  
Georgie sniggered. "Well, getting it right half the time isn't so bad."  
  
Snape turned on her, "What are you talking about those are horrible odds!"  
  
"Not for pairing people up, it isn't." She replied enigmatically, then got to her feet. "Listen, I'm going to steal away for a Diet Coke. I'll be back in a few. If I'm not, send the hounds out." She leapt down and out of the massive doors. He shook his head--she made her Diet Coke breaks sound like going out for a cigarette.  
  
  
  
She returned shortly afterwards, sipping her soda while sauntering back to her seat. She didn't see Snape and figured 'good for him he escaped'. But she promised herself she'd put in at least an hour, out of courtesy. She sat and gazed up at the enchanted ceiling. For once it didn't appear to be raining. She sniffed, but just wait--an hour from now it'll be coming down in buckets.  
  
Niamh and Siobhan had switched partners and Siobhan was now kicking up her heels as she tried to twirl Hagrid's massive bulk under their arms. He practically lifted her off the ground in the process, but they jumped about rowdily and seemed to be having a fabulous time. Niamh seemed to be deeply engrossed in a conversation with Lupin and they hardly noticed when the Latin number ended and the modern number began.  
  
"Funny," Georgie muttered under her breath. A voice hissed in her ear, "Severus looks to be having fun." She looked around to see Dumbledore being led onto the floor by Minerva. He turned and winked at her. She hadn't seen Severus when she came in...Finally she spied Severus out. He was on the dance floor. And he was dancing. With Trewlany.   
  
Georgie's hand went to her mouth and her shoulders convulsed in hushed up laughter. Oh, she'd try and rescue him when the song was over, but this was rich. She set her soda down and stood up, smoothing out her robes with her palms. She stepped down off of the raised High Table platform to the edge of the designated dance floor, but didn't approach them. She knew Severus saw her and knew she was supposed to come rescue him, but she decided to wait out the entire long song.  
  
When the song ended she rushed over to Trewlaney's side, grinning broadly, but artificially. Trewlaney stopped in mid-sentence to look at her. "Oh, Hello. I was wondering if I could cut on?" She simpered and grinned syrupy. Trewlaney allowed her to and stepped aside. Georgie continued to grin toothily and widely, which Severus knew she never did. "You did that on purpose," He hissed at her.   
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She hissed back through her grinning teeth.  
  
"You can stop now. She can't see you and you're scaring me." Looking around him.  
  
"I think I'm stuck." She said from behind clenched teeth.  
  
"I wish they'd play a good old Reel or something like that--not like any of this modern stuff," Snape said off-handedly. Then a moment later the beginning strains of violin started in on a Reel. Or a jig or something--Georgie wasn't exactly up to date on those sort of dances.  
  
"Holy moley. You're magic." She pointed at him. He grabbed her extended hand.  
  
"Of course. Dance." She felt herself being dragged onto the floor.   
  
"I'm not good at Reels." She admitted wearily. She let Snape guide her about. When he pushed her she went forward, when he pulled her she went backwards. She guessed she didn't look too foolish, and for that she was grateful. Stupid heel to toe rubbish....  
  
"I know you're not good at the Reel." He grinned down at her.  
  
"You're enjoying this. You're sick, you know."  
  
"Oh well too late."  
  
Georgie didn't argue at that but tried to enjoy herself. She missed every few steps and Severus wisely didn't say anything about it, or wisely just didn't see it. She was kicking herself enough over it that his commentary would not be welcomed.   
  
The music went faster and faster and the spun quicker and quicker. "I'm gonna be ill..." Georgie teased. Severus looked at her distastefully.  
  
When the song at last was over Snape stood cool, calm and collected while Georgie was breathing heavily and pouting. "Show-off," she accused.  
  
"What song would you care to hear next?" He queried her.   
  
"O Canada?" She threw out.  
  
"Really?" He sounded disappointed.  
  
"No." She grinned up at him from her position of her hands resting on her knees and her body doubled over. "How about Big Band-ish stuff or jazz? Something with a bit of spirit."  
  
He nodded at this, produced his wand from his pocket and aimed it at the ceiling. A moment later a song piped up.   
  
Georgie stood straight up, "How'd you do that?"  
  
"Magic."  
  
"No, really? So you're the emcee?"   
  
He smiled. "I programmed the songs, if that's what you mean."  
  
"Like a computer programmer?"   
  
"What? I just told it which songs to play." He explained bewilderedly.  
  
"Yup, same thing, kinda...." She grinned. "So let's dance my song. Enough yapping from you, sir!" She grabbed his hand and yanked him into the song. They were both prodigiously fond of Swing dancing and both fortunately excelled at it. They managed to turn not only a few heads by the time the song wound down. Snape was rather conservative with his moves, Georgie noted.  
  
"Severus, you kick ass!" Georgie hooted afterwards. He grabbed her hand and led her off the floor. He pointed his wand at the ceiling and mumbled a few words that weren't audible to her ears.   
  
"More modern music. If they don't get a fair amount of the stuff, they'll complain." Severus explained after a minute. "Now's a good time to escape if you'd like to. It'll be like this for at least another 15 minutes."  
  
Georgie grinned, but the smile fell away, "Wait, if you're emceeing, then you have to stay the entire time."  
  
He nodded.   
  
"Fine, I'll remain with you." She decided obstinately.  
  
"If I were you, I'd leave. Seriously. There's going to be two more hours, dragging on just like the first."  
  
"Well, it's good you're not me then. I mean besides the fact that you'd be wearing women's shoes, you'd be having to argue with a stubborn man." He frowned at her.  
  
She scowled straight back at him. "Besides I bet it'll only be an hour." She grinned.  
  
"Shows what you know." He sneered at her.   
  
"Want to make a bet?" Georgie goaded him.  
  
He struck out his hand and they shook on it. "I'll be back in 5 minutes," was all she said as she walked away.  
  
  
She actually returned nearly 15 minutes later, rejoining the tall pale man who just wouldn't smile at the High Table. He didn't acknowledge her presence but she didn't care.  
  
"At eleven I have to go out."  
  
"You've got to be shitting me!" Georgie's eyes flashed.  
  
"You didn't mean to say it like that." He spoke teasingly.  
  
She whispered, "Well, I meant it that time. You can't go out. You had a Death Eater try and kill you yesterday. And now you're going out again?" She was incensed.  
  
"Voldemort doesn't know about that, thank goodness." He glanced out over the students dancing. "He's called a meeting. I must go. It's s simple as that. I have no other choice." He looked at Georgie seriously.  
  
"I know. But it's Halloween." She grumbled stubbornly, plopping her chin onto her propped up arm on the table.  
  
"Believe me if there were something else I could do--I'd do it."  
  
"I know what you could do." She beamed sweetly at him.  
  
"I know what you're going to say." He sat his hand on top of her head comfortingly.  
  
"Nuh-uh."  
  
"Yes, You were going to say 'Kill Voldemort.'"  
  
"I hate you," She crossed her arms in front of herself and sat down in her chair glaring out into the room sourly.  
  
Severus chuckled to himself, then mussed up her hair good-naturedly before removing his hand.  
  
"Am I that transparent?" She posed curiously.  
  
"No, not really. Not usually. But for you there would be only one answer to that question. In that you're clear as crystal." His eyes lifted up towards the doors. Screams could be heard coming from directly outside and students ran into the Great Hall. All dancing ceased and people huddled slowly at the back of the room. Snape leapt to his feet, wand in hand. Georgie laughed at the sight he made and grabbing his sleeve tugged him back to his chair. He turned on her bewildered. "I did it." She justified, "You needed to get out of here earlier...." She shrugged. He than watched to see what unfolded.  
  
The enchanted Jack o' Lanterns dragged and scooted themselves into the Great Hall and planted themselves firmly into the center of the room. If a student wandered too close, one of them would thrash with their vines and leap at their ankles.  
  
A few minutes later they all starred in horror as the bats that had been previously fluttering near the top of the ceiling, suddenly dove low to land on the ground and then righted themselves. They walked on their two feet somewhat mechanically and unbalanced, Georgie noted disapprovingly, right before they grew to a size bigger than the average man.  
  
Students went scampering and screaming in all directions. It was pure chaos. Poor Professor Flitwick seemed to be pinned up against the wall by a bat, which was bobbing and screeching over him.  
  
Snape was on his feet again. "They won't hurt anyone." Georgie volunteered.  
  
"Yes, but I must appear to not know that and try to resume order." Georgie proclaimed him wise and hopped down onto the dance floor, narrowly missing the gnashing pumpkins.   
  
She grabbed the bat that had cornered Flitwick by the wing, and spun it around into a loose embrace. "Wanna dance good-looking fella?" She led the bat by the folded wing away from the wall, allowing Flitwick to escape. She dipped and twirled all the while the bat was screeching and baring fangs right above her head.  
  
Snape stood paralyzed watching her. She looked insane. Well, she was insane. This was proof of it. He smirked, then composed himself. He sneered at everyone he passed as he tried to herd the students out into the Entryway. He found the Headmaster and explained that he believed this to be a harmless practical joke and suggested that the students be allowed to continue their festivities as soon as it was all straightened out. Dumbledore thought not, especially as there was only an hour left.   
  
Dumbledore's voice rose above everyone else's and he announced the remainder of the dance was cancelled and instructed everyone to return to their respective houses. Severus figured many students would be disappointed, but surprisingly most of the students were ecstatic that this happened and would have something fun to talk about for weeks. "Did you see how close the pumpkin came to ripping off my leg?" a Hufflepuff boy proudly boasted.  
  
How she got away with it, he didn't know. He fought his way through the stream of students to get back into the Great Hall. He found her doing the tango with that poor confused bat, singing out the beats and da-da-dum-ing back and forth in a line. He came up behind her, "You win. We all get to go."  
  
"Yippee!" She jumped up and clasped her hands together. "Did you hear that Nacho? You're going back!"  
  
"Nacho?" Snape entreated.  
  
"Don't look at me. He chose that name. He's from South America." She nodded to the wobbling bat.  
  
"Change everything back so we can get out of here." Severus suggested.  
  
"Goodbye Nacho!" And she waved her wand and the bats shrank and took to the air again. Then the Jack O' Lanterns scooted across the floor and out the door to their previous perch outside the front door. Screams arose once again from the few lingering students in the Entryway.  
  
Severus muttered grouchily. He gripped her by the elbow and led her out and down to the dungeon. "I'm going to miss Nacho..." She twittered.  
  
  
  
  
Once in their lounge, Snape collapsed on his couch. "At least this affords me an extra hour."  
  
"Hey, anything I can do to help." She flung open her medical store-cabinet.  
  
"You're wicked, you know. You probably gave nightmares to some poor first year girl." He laughed.  
  
"Severus Snape you've been doing that yourself for years now!" Georgie whipped out a bandage, and crossed the floor. "Shirt off."  
  
"Yes ma'am." Severus smiled amorally and just sat there.  
  
"Oh forget it." She griped. She set the bandages on the table and sat down beside him. She started on the top button of his robes and undid them all the way down hastily. Then throwing the robes back she reached to his side and lifted up his shirt. Her fingernails slid beneath the bandages, and she bit her lip as she carefully took them off.   
  
"Does it feel tender?" She looked up into his eyes.  
  
"It did today." He affirmed.  
  
She poked him above the still angry-looking wound. "There?" He nodded that it hurt at all the places she touched him.  
  
"Damn," She sat up, and looked into the other room.  
  
"What?" He sounded concerned.  
  
"You're going to have to lie down."  
  
"Why?"   
  
"Trust me." She hissed and bounded up.  
  
Instead he stood up, wondering how in the world he had allowed his health to be placed into the hands of 21 year-old.   
  
Returning to his side, she bowled him over. Then speaking loudly to make sure he heard everything, "Severus, you've despite everything, managed to get an infection. I'm going to tell you everything I do as I do alright?" She stood and moved to the cabinet. "I'm going to have to clean it out and disinfect it. The disinfectant I'm going to use this time is stronger and it will burn more."   
  
She gathered up several vials and jars and a bunch of cotton squares. "Ordinarily I'd get Pomfrey. But she's a bit tipsy tonight. I know what I'm doing. I've done it with her. I'm not going to burn your skin off or anything." She laughed lightly as she set everything down before her.   
  
"This whole thing will take only a couple of minutes." She knelt down between the table and the couch. She looked at him, "Ready?"   
  
He nodded.  
  
She chuckled, "If you need to yell, go ahead." He glared at her for even suggesting it.  
  
Using her wand and the cotton squares, she managed to clean out the wound. It thankfully wasn't very deep anymore, and probably didn't hurt much. She looked up at Severus. "How you doing?" He tried to look almost bored. "Fine." He relied monotonely through clenched teeth. He wasn't sure if he succeeded.  
  
"This is the not-so-nice part." She warned selecting a vial from the table behind her. She thrust her hand in his. "Squeeze if it hurts."  
  
"I couldn't--" He began.  
  
"Do it anyway," she snapped, then winked.  
  
"You aren't a nice person tonight." He frowned.  
  
"I'm not nice when my friends have nasty infection that I have to fix. I'll sing the Huki Lau later on if it'll make you like me again." She popped the top off using one hand. "Ready?" It broke her heart to have to do this, even to witness this.  
  
He breathed out heavily, then nodded and closed his eyes.  
  
"Okay." She poured the tiny amount of the liquid onto the open wound. It sizzled and burned and the overwhelming smell of acidy flesh rose up to her.  
  
She watched his face as it blanched and his feature twisted up into a mask of pain. He griped her hand roughly, but she ignored her own pain. She blew briskly on the wound, puffing up her cheeks and deflating them until she was light-headed. Severus' grip eventually relaxed and his eyes opened slowly. She kept blowing lightly over it. "Alright?" She asked as she spread some thick paste directly on top of it. Madam Pomfey had told her that many a grown Wizard couldn't handle that antibiotic and many just straight out fainted on her infirmary floor.  
  
He nodded. She smiled and reached up and messed with his hair. "You're fine," She informed. She quickly bandaged him up. "There." She jumped up to her feet. "Done." She announced.  
  
She offered him a hand up and he lifted himself to his feet. "There is no way in heaven or hell that you're infected any longer," declaring as she cleaned up the soiled cotton and gathered the supplies up in her arms.   
  
"Want a cup of tea now? Or coffee even?" She came out and collapsed on her couch, putting her feet up.   
  
"Georgie, how'd you get to be so knowledgeable at Mediwizardry so quickly?"  
  
"It's tempting to say 'Dark Arts' just to see how you'd react. But I'm a super quick study and I'm a freaking genius," She winked. "I bet you'd forgotten that. Must people do."  
  
"So I had." He paced around the room aimlessly.  
  
Georgie yawned. "Man, I've got bad breath! What did I eat? It's like I licked the floors. Now, I surely would've remembered doing that." She beat Severus to the punch.  
  
Snape looked at his watch. "It's time to do rounds." He was now in the habit of using her word for it.  
  
"You want me to handle them?" Georgie volunteered.  
  
"No, I can do it." He insisted.  
  
"I bet you can."  
  
"You wish to come?" He questioned.  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." She grinned cheesily and they both took off.  
  
  
  
  
Snape left her in middle of rounds as he needed to change and grab his cloak before going. She finished up without incident and wandered slowly back down the dungeons. Georgie called out goodnights and 'Happy Halloweens' to the few lingering Slytherin souls in the Common Room and headed in.   
  
She hadn't got her nightgown back yet, so she changed into one of her spares. This one was just an overly large man's button-down shirt. It was pretty comfortable, but it showed off more knee and thigh than Georgie was comfortable with. She wrapped a blanket around her legs, and brought a fire to life. Georgie had been correct about one thing: The rain started back up as soon as they'd left the Dance.  
  
She was exhausted, and surmised that she'd probably fall asleep before too long. So she took out her little medical knapsack and set it at the end of her couch, beyond her toes and pulled the blanket up to her chin.  
  
  
  
  
Severus reappeared through the fireplace, adjusting his eyes almost instantaneously to the darkness of the room. He'd gotten away hours before he thought he'd be able to thankfully, so he could get at least a little sleep. Georgie was curled up on her couch, one foot dangling over her knapsack. She's clever, he mused. As he yawned and walked around the couch to her. He disentangled her foot from the bag's straps and set it on the table. He wasn't hurt and wouldn't need that for awhile. His side felt like new.  
  
He stood over her for a few seconds before bending over to slide his thin arm underneath her back and another arm beneath her legs. He paused for a second, then lifted her up into his arms. He cradled her back as he stepped towards her room. She shifted and her arms moved around his neck. He didn't move for a minute. But then neither did he. She didn't weigh as much as she always complained she did. She wasn't exactly a feather either, he grimaced at the thought of the dainty ladies who were forever swooning and fainting. Georgie could pick them up over her head and break them in two. So, he over-exaggerated quite a bit. The point was she wasn't too heavy... and she smelled pleasant--like wool and new paper.  
  
He shifted her in his arms and grabbed the door handle and pushed it in. Readjusting her, she seemed to wake up. He froze. Her eyes were still closed, but she snuggled closer. He frowned at this. And entered into her shadowy room.  
  
"Severus, do you dream?" She asked, rather dreamily herself.   
  
"Yes. Always nightmares." He whispered.  
  
"I never dream. I'd wish for nightmares over nothing." Then she was silent.  
  
He walked to the side of the bed and lay her down on top of the covers. He whisked the covers down and over her feet, then tucked them in around her. He stood up over her, then whispered. "I'd rather have nothing over the nightmares."  
  
"Thanks Severus." She garbled.  
  
And he turned his back and strode from the room, closing the door noiselessly behind him.  
  
He sat at his desk in his room and sipped the Brandy. Wine was fine, but this was more potent, he thought as he held the glass up to the candlelight for scrutiny.  
  
Georgie was bugging him. It wasn't her, but rather her role to him. She was a jack-of-all-trades to him.   
She was first and foremost his closest friend at the moment. Dumbledore was always like a father, and for the longest time his best friend, but Georgie had uprooted all of that. Severus believed he still might trust the old man's judgement over hers, because of wisdom that comes with age and living and all that, but otherwise...He sighed.  
  
Georgie took the shape of a helpless babe, a nurse, and a motherly figure. Sometimes she'd act like the vixen and taunt him. Other times, like a sister you could share secrets with. For the first time he felt that if she screwed up, he would cover for her. Because he knew she would for him--she was in fact doing so. Minerva had told him about her defending him to other students. At first he'd felt a bit upset--he didn't need nor wish to be defended. But later on, he felt, well, touched that she'd risk things to stand up for him. Honestly he believed it to be a waste of time--students would be students and Severus Snape wasn't about to change his style. And what exactly was she risking? The majority of the students idolized her and they would still do so if she told them the moon was indeed made of green cheese. Still the effort was well meant.  
  
She was his friend and a true one at that. She was insane and caring and spontaneous. He always wondered how she managed to drag him into her hair-brained schemes unwittingly. He felt he couldn't help himself. He had fun with her and laughed more with her than he did in all the previous years combined. Felt younger and worried less bout life and death--not that he was old. He was still considered young by Wizarding standards.  
  
When Orris McDade was caught and Dumbledore had just arrived at the room above the Leaky Cauldron, the woman had been secured to a chair and she was hissing and screaming--trying to bite at him like a tiger. Severus was repulsed. She called the two men every insulting name she could think of, but they ignored her as they prepared the Veritaserum. But when she mentioned the 'bitchy nit, Georgie,' Severus had spun around and almost struck her. It was at that moment that he feared for her sitting alone in that room at Hogwarts if Orris' anger towards her was what he thought it to be. Dumbledore looked on as he sent the second owl of the night to Hogwarts.  
  
He felt like how he did with Harry. He owed it that the boy would make it to see adulthood. He owed to Georgie that her association with him wouldn't end up getting her killed. It was a sort of life-debt. His new fuller life for her continued full life, probably a selfish exchange, he pondered as he set his glass down. At least selfish reasons behind them.  
  
He thought too much, he told himself as he stood, crossed the room and slipped out of his robes and into his black drawstring pants. He thought too much about relationships. She was fine, he was fine, everyone was damned fine. He needed to stop reading Muggle psychology books. He was beginning to find hidden meanings in the simplest and most innocent of things.  
  
He flicked his wand and the fire went out with a poof. He made his way to his bed easily in the dark and climbed in, drawing the curtains around him. He was exhausted, as always, but hesitant to go to sleep. He'd told her truthfully. The nightmares came at night. And they were hideous. And getting worse.   
He closed his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
The first thing he heard in the morning was Georgie in the next room strumming her guitar and singing wildly. It's like living with a hyperactive toddler. Does she ever go to sleep?  
  
"Georgie, could you be a little quieter?" He called out irritably.  
  
"No." She hollered back cheekily.  
  
A few seconds later he heard his own door open and footsteps stepping across his room.  
"Is this still a nightmare?" He said as he slung his pillow over his head.  
  
Abruptly she cast open the curtains at the foot of his bed. She crawled slowly up and sat on his toes. "Good morning, Sleepy Snape." She grinned down and shook his pillow covering his face.  
  
"I hate you!" He snarled, muffled by the pillow.  
  
"I bet you do. But wait--there's more! Let's see what else our lovely contestant has won!"  
  
Drawing something plate-sized and covered by a napkin from behind her back she placed it on the side of the bed that Severus didn't sleep on.  
  
"That's right! Out resident snoozer has won--Breakfast in Bed! Or rather, on the Bed--but not directly. If it were in the bed his jammies would smell like bacon..."  
  
"Georgie," He whined, but she cut him off.  
  
"But wait there's more! He gets a good morning song!" She reached down behind her and leaning against one of the posters was her guitar, which she lifted to her lap.  
  
"Georgie!" He almost shrieked.  
  
I think I'll go for a walk outside now,  
The summertime's calling my name, I hear it now.  
I just can't stay inside all day;  
I've got to get out, gimme some of those rays.   
  
Everybody's smiling, sunshine day,  
Everybody's laughing, sunshine day,  
Everybody seems so happy today in the sunshine day.   
  
She stopped, "That's all I've learned so far." And set the instrument aside.  
  
"Yes, why don't you 'go for a walk outside.' Now!" He bellowed.  
  
"Lastly, I give you sunshine!" She announced as she flung back the curtains on his bed and wrestled the pillow away from him. He growled at her, as he attempted to shield his eyes from the light.  
  
"The sunshine was the hardest one to get..." she whispered in mock confidentiality.  
  
Severus slowly opened his eyes to the sunshine. It was pleasant enough. "What time is it? He mumbled.  
  
"After one. Good Afternoon!"  
  
"I hate you," he glared at her.  
  
"That's lovely. Now eat the stupid food and get dressed already. I'm bored." She vaulted off the end of the bed and shut the door as she ran back out through it.  
  
  
  
Several minutes later Severus stepped into the lounge holding her forgotten guitar up to her. She grabbed it up. She was wearing shorts he saw. "Why're you wearing shorts?" He pointed at her legs distractedly.  
  
"Wanna go surfing?"  
  
He blinked at her. "No."  
  
"Come on it'll be such fun. You'd love it." She pleaded. "I know just the place.... Really it's better for body boarding--the waves usually suck. But it'd be a new experience."  
  
He shook his head. He didn't feel up to getting his head dashed on the rocks just yet today, thank you. Snape flung his hands at her, trying to shoo her or the idea out of his mind. He pushed past her and out into the Common Room. She followed him all the way out into the hallway. He entered the passageway to the kitchens.   
  
"See I told you you'd get a good use out of this thing." She motioned the walls around them.  
  
He looked back at her sharply and his eyes narrowed. "You haven't got anything on your feet."  
  
"People have died from lesser things."  
  
"You could get sick...."  
  
"And where would that leave you?" she harassed. "While we're speaking hypothetically, monkeys could fly out of my arse too."  
  
"That is disgusting."  
  
"Well, that's a step up from my being disgusting. Now, come on," She tugged at his sleeve as he hurried forward. "It'll be fun. It's Sunday, and you don't need to go out tonight. I'll even get the house-elves to pack us a dinner or something."  
  
He ignored her as he stepped cautiously from the passageway, checking all about him to see if they'd been spotted. Georgie trampled straight through, nosily and heedless to any one watching. He grabbed her elbow and led into the passageway behind the painting. Severus greeted the elves curtly and went over to barked out something about coffee. Georgie wrinkled her nose up and wondered when he started drinking that; she'd stopped with that nasty stuff weeks ago.  
  
When Severus finally had gotten his strong coffee, he placed it flatly in his palms and marched across to the girl sitting on the stool watching him. "I don't want to embarrass myself." He spat at her.  
  
"Severus Snape, stop being such an imbecile. We won't be seen--and I'll teach you how.... Come on. You're talking to the Queen of Making an Ass Out of Herself here. Do you think I'll care? Really?"  
  
He shook his head and looked into his dark cup and drank deeply from it.  
  
He sighed. "I suppose. But you plan everything, I don't even want to think today." He rubbed his temple.  
  
"Woo-hoo!" She raved. Then she took off at a run out of the kitchens.  
  
Severus sighed and shook his head disapprovingly. "Do you think I'm not being sharp?" He quizzed a house-elf bustling by.  
  
"I think Sir is daft." Snape nodded at this and drained his cup.  
  
  
  
  
  
Severus sat in the study alone later that night, sipping tea and staring into the flames of the fire. The rain hadn't return...yet. He sneered. It was so quiet now. He heaved a sigh. Georgie was visiting Hagrid or Minerva or Pomfrey or Sprout--he couldn't be bothered to keep it all straight. The point was she was out.  
  
The day had been long. He furled his brow hard at the remembrance. Georgie had been correct--the body boarding was exhilarating. It took a certain degree of skill and he felt he'd improved by leaps and bounds by the time the sun had begun to set. She was a patient teacher. But her mouth was always running away from her. She picked on something or other about him or his habits--he didn't even remember what it was, he growled bitterly. It had set off a chain-reaction of biting remarks and bickering. The day had been lovely until then.  
  
He drank the tea and let it's warmth soothe him for the inside. He of course couldn't shirk responsibility either--he couldn't just let a comment or a look go without some barb from him, could he? But he didn't dwell on it too long. It was, after all, how he was and how he'd always been. People don't change like that. They'd made amends soon afterwards and Georgie had probably forgotten it had even happened. She just let these things roll off of her back.  
  
Severus set the cup lightly down on the smooth table and stared at it intently for a few minutes. Next to it lay a bundle marked for Georgie from his house-elf Cassy. It was her nightgown. There was also a bit of Banana Bread and two water guns affixed to the top of it--it'd taken two owls to carry. Cassy always was sentimentally foolish.  
  
He waved his arm and the dirty cup disappeared. He looked to his watch, and as he saw it was early yet, he decided to pay Dumbledore a visit. He stiffly rose from his sofa and tenderly massaged his back and neck for a moment. Along with the exhilaration of the body boarding, came also the sore muscles inherent in such athletic endeavors. He was selfishly proud to have spied his young friend Georgie massaging her own neck in such a way. Not that he enjoyed seeing her aching, but he was glad to know that he wasn't so far out of the game as one would assume.  
  
He glided outside and in the direction of the Headmaster's office. He caught two Gryffindors trying to escape him at the end of the corridor. He bellowed at them and they halted, frozen in their tracks. He grinned maliciously at them. Always Gryffindors. He sent them directly back to their tower minus 30 points. He did get some slight, sick pleasure in wielding the power over these kids. Georgie had suggested that this could stem from his feeling out-of-control in his own life, being at the beck and call of a murdering psycho. She'd said it almost light-heartedly, like she were getting used to the fact that he was who he was and he did what he did. It bothered him. Both the suggestion and the ease with which she spoke of it, but why shouldn't she be used to it? Would he prefer that she cower in fear of 'You-Know-Who' like the rest of the world? Or that she deny the realities of life? He had finally replied that, no, he just thought he was a sadist or something...  
  
He wasn't in a very pleasant mood, and he growled the password to Dumbledore's offices, his robes billowed out behind him as he attacked the stairs. Dumbledore stood twiddling his thumbs beaming on him. "I thought that might be you. Come inside. I'd enjoy a game of chess." He ushered the towering man inside the door. Severus found his usual seat at the chessboard.   
  
The old man called out, "Care for some tea Severus?" Snape declined politely, but sat scowling at the blank wall opposite him. He then took that opportunity to set up the board.  
  
The Headmaster returned a minute later with his own cup in hand. "I've missed having you up here so often," as he sat down carefully.  
  
"I apologize."  
  
Dumbledore looked to the board and moved first.  
  
Severus leaned forward, and perched over the board and quickly moved his piece.   
  
Dumbledore remarked, "The game is always easiest at the beginning. Motives are clearer; Where to move is blatantly obvious." He picked up his piece. "It's later on that it gets.... complicated..."  
  
Snape stared down his nose at the man. Then turning to the game, he paused only momentarily to decide between two pawns, before plucking one up and setting it forward.  
  
"So, Severus. How do your classes fare?" He sat hunched over the board and didn't look at the younger man.  
  
"The students are morons. Some more than others of course," He sneered. "It's a rare day indeed where there's not an injury or disaster. They don't now, nor will they ever take the subject seriously."  
  
"That's not true. Why I happen to know of several Hufflepuffs that seemingly enjoy your lessons." Dumbledore pointed out.  
  
"Albus, they're Hufflepuffs." He said pointedly. The old man nodded his understanding. "The Gryffindors and Slytherins are both appalling." It was ironic that the two furthest separated houses would share this attribute. The Gryffindors hated Potions--and Snape--because the Professor favored his house. The Slytherins didn't care a whit for the subject and it's work for probably for the exact same reason  
  
Dumbledore gave a hiccup of laughter. "I had a conversation with two young Slytherins who seem to think you're not as gruesome as they once believed you to be." Severus met the man's eyes.  
  
"Oh really?" He asked unexcitedly.  
  
"The Malones."  
  
Severus rolled his eyes, "Siobhan and Niamh?"  
  
"Yes, they think you're quite, 'cool'." Albus mimicked good-naturedly.  
  
"That just goes to show you what a lack of good sense they both possess." He hissed bitterly.  
  
"Severus, don't think of yourself so lowly. You've managed to show them your better side by some miracle or oversight of yours, why shouldn't they think good of a teacher?"  
  
"Georgie brought it about." He mumbled as he moved his piece.  
  
Dumbledore nodded to himself. "How is she these days? She hasn't come to see me in a long time."  
  
"She's a perfect hellion. But I enjoy her company," Severus eyed the man carefully. "She used to visit you?" He hadn't remembered ever hearing her mentioning his friend.   
  
"Oh, only a few times. Mostly when she was upset with you." Albus taunted lightly. "She told me your favorite animal was a whale. After all these years I never knew that." His eyes twinkled as recognition seemed to dawn on Severus' face.  
  
Severus dismissed that. "In classes she excels beyond anything I've ever seen. You were correct in implementing set challenges for her. She loses interest and motivation quickly." He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes with his palms.  
  
"And the Mediwizardry Training?" Albus pursued.  
  
"She's surpassed even Madam Pomfrey. She knows those textbooks inside out. She's even taken an unhealthy pleasure in mothering over me." He laughed grimly. "I could strangle her."  
  
Albus looked taken aback at her words, and Severus shot him a harsh look. Albus frowned and moved his piece. He quickly took Snape's pawn and set it aside.  
  
"And she doesn't appear to be shirking those duties off? I came to understand that it was to be part of her Potions study?" Albus concentrated on the board.  
  
"No, she's truly possessed on the subject. She's taken quite a responsibility in it. I'm also instructing her on making Lupin's potion this month and the next." He muttered under his breath, "Among other potions..."  
  
Dumbledore heard that, but didn't let on that he'd overheard.  
  
"She does seem to try and look after you." Severus shot his friend a look, but Albus kept on, his eyes twinkling. "No really. Anything to give you an extra free hour, especially a free hour from a certain dance."  
  
Severus looked at the man narrowly, trying to determine if he knew what Severus thought he knew. "Oh? How did you find that out?" Snape demanded.  
  
"Nacho told me." He said simply, setting his hands in his lap.  
  
Snape broke the tension by chuckling mildly. He sighed, "She did try and tell me that that was the bat's name. I didn't really pay her any attention at the time."  
  
"Yes, very little escapes my attention here." Albus was pleased at his friend's formerly rare laughter.  
  
"As always." Severus smirked. He moved his knight forward and took Dumbledore's bishop. "It was, I admit, a part of a scheme between she and myself. I claim full responsibility for that night's festivities."  
  
Albus' eyes twinkled, "I have no desire to revisit that night here tonight with you. Forgotten. Only in my pensieve can I sit back and laugh at the visions of the chaos and fun..." He paused. "But the fact that you'd claim responsibility for it is admirable. It shows real depth of character." He mused.  
  
Severus glowered at his friend, "Albus, spare me."  
  
The old man bowed at this and watched as Snape moved his piece.  
  
Dumbledore sat back in his armchair and cleared his throat poignantly. "I heard from the ministry yesterday about Miss McDade..." Severus sat up stiffly. "Her trial's this week. She's been held in Azkaban up until now and some people are pushing for the Dementor's Kiss. It appears that she's been involved in several other killings in recent days. I'm afraid they're going to make a scapegoat out of her."  
  
Snape blanched, "It'll be no more than she deserves."  
  
Dumbledore was amazed at such sentiment. "I can't believe that of you Severus."  
  
"Why not? She's unrepentant to the end. She tried to kill me. She has killed others, Albus. She tried to kill Georgie with the Firebomb. I hope she rots." He seethed.  
  
"But compare it to your own life. What of mercy?" Dumbledore moved his piece forward.  
  
"Each case is it's own special case--you said that to me, so I'm using it back at you. I was remorseful of my behavior. I don't necessarily wish her to receive the Kiss." He spoke deliberately. "But I feel that as sure as I live and breathe, if she's allowed to return to society someday she'll start up where she left off. I know she's had a Memory Charm performed on her, so of course my own safety isn't the issue."  
  
Dumbledore crossed his arms across his chest. "I disagree."  
  
"You're allowed."   
  
The old man chose his words carefully. "I see this as another personal fight. Another vendetta or a place for revenge. It's probably because she ingratiated herself with you to get close to you. Under the guise of something you revere so highly as romantic attachments."  
  
"That's absurd, Albus. And you know it." Severus' temper was starting to fray.  
  
"No, I'm not so sure it is. Georgie filled your head with wonderful scenes of you and Miss McDade in deep affection for one another. You unwittingly exert yourself to make that an end in the hopeless relationship. When the goal isn't reached, you are let down, feel empty and thus blame the deceiving woman. When really it's as simple as realizing that it was wrong from the get-go. Doomed even before it began."  
  
Snape's eyes flashed, "What would you know of such things?" He snarled, his face livid.  
  
"Severus, calm down. I'm an old man and I've lived for many, many years. And I'm bound to live for many more. I've had my fair share of experiences and dealings with the opposite sex. You almost alone know I was married once." His eyes took on a sad look. "But best yet, I know you. You are always clouded by your own viewpoints and you see what you wish to see. Always the dreamer, Severus. I see this to be true--it's as clear as day to me." He folded his hands in finality.  
  
Severus, glared at his friend for several more minutes, but spoke nothing. He studied the checkered board and rubbed his chin absently before impulsively lifting up his piece and setting it down gently beside a white one.  
  
"I believe what you say is true." Severus uttered lowly. "Still, I feel what I do towards the woman. It might be unjustly amplified, but the truth is she is evil." He sighed, and closed his eyes. "Perhaps she hit too close to home this time."  
  
Albus nodded. He'd gathered that much from the way Severus had panicked in the Leaky Cauldron and sent the note telling Georgie to flee.  
  
The old man tested carefully, "She owes you a lot. If it weren't for you, she'd have been severely burned, she might have died." Snape winced at this. He had managed not to think of his friend lying hurt and burned and in pain...  
  
"Oh, it doesn't matter. She's saved my life so many times, and I've saved hers, it just doesn't matter any longer. Besides my life wasn't worth living." He explained absently.  
  
Albus tried to change the subject. "Mediwizardry is a skill more and more young people will need to be competent in for the coming years. It's unfortunate, but it's becoming somewhat of a necessity. I've been putting it off for as long as I could, but I think at the start of next year we may add Mediwizardry options for older students." He tried to gauge Severus' expression.  
  
"If you're thinking of asking Georgie, go ahead. She's more than competent. Wild and unorthodox, yes, but capable." He sighed, and looked contemptuous. "But I think she's more keen on selling Butterbeers or some other such nonsense."  
  
Albus laughed at that. "So those are her designs then? Good for her. Still I will ask about it come the end of the year, if you don't object?"  
  
"Why should I?"  
  
"No reason whatsoever." He replied affably. "Just don't ruin the surprise."  
  
Their conversation tarried on, and Severus won all three games they played. When Snape excused himself for the night, he silently wondered at how Dumbledore could be so distracted as to always lose the game. But what he didn't realize was that the true 'game' for Dumbledore was their conversations, and Dumbledore always won those.  
  
  
  
A/N--Ugh, school.... 


	15. Chapter Fifteen Plans and a Visitor

Chapter Fifteen--Plans and a Visitor  
  
  
  
It was close to midnight by then, so Severus hoped Georgie had gotten back before him and she had started the rounds. They both shared the responsibility these days. He relished it for the chance to dock points and she because she just liked wandering about in the dark bumping into things.  
  
He moved silently down the broad corridor, ears listening for out-of-place sounds as he wound his way back to the dungeons. He picked up the soft sound of footfall up ahead so he glided over to a dark spot just around the corner from the approaching offender, he put his back up to the wall and a sly grin spread across his face.  
  
The person rounded the corner and Snape stood transfixed as it entered a shaft of light cast down from a high window. It was Georgie he grinned, doing the rounds in her gray nightgown and fuzzy slippers. He took off rapidly to catch up with her. She didn't hear his footsteps or sense his presence, so he kept back just over her shoulder and out of her forward view. He smiled at her obliviousness to everything around her as she gazed out of windows and up at the moon, peered around doorways, her eyes darting aimlessly this way and that, never realizing that Severus was almost touching her back the entire time.  
  
She led him down this corridor and that, never encountering another soul. Several times he almost purposely gave himself away, but he waited patiently for the right time. At one point she passed by the open door of a room she'd never seen before and she stopped abruptly, as did Severus. But she took a big step backwards before he could react.  
  
She'd thumped backwards into something that wasn't there a second earlier, she thought with horror. Her stomach fell away as she determined it was human form. "Ah!" She shrieked and took off at a sprint without looking back. She kept screaming, and Severus thought quickly, I've got to catch her, she's going to wake the whole castle. So he took off after her, following through corridors, always just out of her fleeting backwards-glancing sight line.   
  
She galloped down stairs and found herself by the dungeons, she chose to smash through the door to the outside rather than run the risk of their being no one to help her in the Dungeons. Severus arrived at those doors, and rolled his eyes at how foolish a victim she would really be. Goodness, running outside? He smashed through the same doors and bounded across the lawn towards her. She appeared to be trying to lose her pursuer by dashing around the corner to the back of the building. Snape gained ground on her as she stumbled through a wilder patch of ground. He called her name loudly, but she couldn't hear him. This was insane.  
  
She kept turning around to see a figure in black chasing her down, no matter how she tried to lose him. She had horrible thoughts of Death Eaters in hoods, which forced her to run on even though her lungs felt about to fail her completely. She thought for a moment that she might die out here.  
  
He finally could reach out and grab hold of her shoulders. She shrieked as she was slowed down. He was yelling "Georgie!" at her hoarsely, but she was still flailing about wildly. She turned around and jumped at the assailant and smashed his nose. The figure howled in pain, and Georgie seized her chance and bowled the figure over, and pummeled it with her fists clenched in fury and fear as she sat on top of the person, losing all sense of control.  
  
Severus was clasping his nose as his eyes watered in pain, as he tried to dodge her fists pounding his chest. When he could see clearly again, he twisted his legs around her and brought her to the ground and grappled for position on her stomach. She was yowling as she tried to fight off his hands, she was sure she was going to be killed or worse.  
  
"Georgie!" He bellowed over and over again, finally getting quieter and quieter as her fighting slowed down and ceased. She lay back on the ground looking up focusing and finally recognizing her friend. "Severus?" He nodded in the darkness around them. She reached up her hand and lashed it out across his cheek. Her slap had knocked his jaw to the side. He looked down on her solemnly. "I guess I deserve that."  
  
She screwed up her face and began to cry silently. He pouted and lifted her up under one of his arms. "I'm sorry." She sobbed. "I hit your nose, and you're probably going to bruise everywhere, and I shouldn't have over-reacted, but I've been thinking these thoughts about how vulnerable Hogwarts was and stuff--how Orris was able to get into my rooms, and when I saw a person in black take off after me, I automatically assumed the worse…" She mumbled on.  
  
"No, I'm just as much to fault. I should have called your name right when you bumped into me. I was too amused at your expression. I wasn't thinking clearly. I tried calling after you after that, but you were out of range. I deserved it."  
  
"You do not deserve that." She sniffed holding him at arm's length. "We both are loonies I suppose," trying hard to grin.  
  
"shall we forgetthis?" Severus offered her his hand.  
  
She looked at it, "Only if you forgive me." They shook hands. "We'll speak no more of it then." She suggested.   
  
"I shouldn't have slapped you," she said woefully.  
  
"That was the first intelligent thing you did." She rolled her eyes at him and they both laughed.  
  
"Well, you don't have to like it all so much. You're such a sadist Severus." Her eyes twinkled at the banter.  
  
"True. You've found out my little secret, but I know yours as well. You like to fight as much as I do." He grinned cockily.  
  
"Man, it sucks for someone else to know what you're thinking. I just wished I got to knock you down. It's not fair you're always getting to do it. Next time we switch, okay?"  
  
Snape pulled her to her feet wobbly. "No wands. Here's your chance." He turned and sped across the dark ground. Georgie gave a squeal of delight, and lifted the hem of her nightgown and took off tearing and bounding like a bear. She darted after him as he bobbed, weaved and spun to try and vex her and staying just out of her reach. She finally got close enough and leapt at his shoulder, sending him flying over backwards. "Ha!" she strutted and preened above him right before his leg swept both of hers out from under her.  
  
  
  
Later they entered quietly by the back entranceway not expecting to encounter anyone at such a late hour. Minerva however had just returned from some papers from her own classroom and she was waiting. She looking down at them as they entered and starred at them in pure shock. Severus was beaming with blood streaming from his nose as he held Georgie closely under his arm, and she in her nightgown and with disheveled hair, clung shivering around his waist. The both had grass in their hair. Both of their smiles melted away as they recognized her presence before them. "Damn," Georgie muttered just audible enough for Severus to hear.  
  
They were all paralyzed and no one spoke at first. Minerva eventually broke the silence, "Good Lord, what have you two been doing?" Her voice rose dangerously.  
  
"Fightning." Severus said simply. "We ran out of room in our study, so we took it outside. Man-to-man, so to say." He smirked sardonically.  
  
Minerva looked to Georgie for an explanation. Georgie wanted to criticize and ask her why she thought Severus wouldn't be telling the whole truth, but she held her tongue on the matter. "We like fighting." She volunteered, trying very hard not to laugh.  
  
She just bore her eyes into them, then shaking her head disbelievingly, "You both are ridiculous." And she walked away.  
  
They looked after her for a moment then turned again towards the dungeons. Once there, Georgie attacked Snape's nose with her Mediwizarding supplies--which thankfully wasn't broken. Severus felt slightly uncomfortable having her breathing all over him a few mere inches from is own face.  
  
When she's patched him up, she slapped him lightly on the shoulder, "Okay off to bed." He glared at her at this and stayed where he was on the couch. She got to her feet and got rid of the cloths she used to wipe his blood up with. When she was finished. She came up behind him as he sat upright on the couch. She stuck her chin out and lay her chin on his shoulder. "Fine, be all pissy from not enough sleep tonight. I've got Divination first thing in the morning. See if I care, goober." She giggled haughtily in his ear. "Goodnight." And she popped up, picked out a long blade of grass from Snape's hair and deposited it in his lap as she went away.  
  
  
  
  
November was fast speeding away from them and on the first day of December Georgie was moping about in the lounge practicing wand-less magic by herself. Her bare feet gripped the back of the couch as her head dangled off the edge of the couch. The blood had been rushing to her head for the past ten minutes, and it was going to be a bitch to stand up after this, she reminded herself. She frowned and scratched her nose as she sent books from the bookshelf soaring to the center table.   
  
She was quite good at moving objects about (even while perched upside-down), but her command of other spells was seriously lacking. She could start fires and lock doors, plus a few other simple spells. But she was shooting for a Banishing Charm. She was making slow progress, and she wasn't too pleased with herself. Wand-less Magic had been an option to the seventh year students at The Institute and she'd signed up for it. There were only four other students in her class and the instruction was personal and thorough.  
  
She'd worked on her light casting spell earlier before ditching the entire effort. When she spoke 'Lumos,' a glowing ball of light was supposed to appear hovering above her palm. So far she'd gotten sparks.  
She dropped the books down on the table and groaned. It was rainy and there were intense winds outside. Trees and branches had fallen down all-over the grounds last night.  
  
She swiveled her head to the cheery fire burning away in the fireplace. She stretched her hands out towards the fire, battling with the gravity trying to drag them down to the carpet. She drew the fire out of it's housing in the hearth and sent a column of the glowing-warm flames straight out into the air, sustaining it there for several minutes, always frowning hard in concentration. It was high enough in the air that the carpet, tables and couches weren't going to get singed as the flames vaulted the furniture, but the heat was blowing against her face and rustling through her hair. The flames seemed to draw her into them….  
  
"That one's shape's more solid than the last."  
  
Georgie's eyes snapped to look up her body, past her feet to the man who'd entered. The flames were sucked back into the confines of the fireplace the moment she broke concentration. Severus watched them go, then looked down the body to the face of his friend. "How goes Lumos?" He questioned her. He ran his cold finger down her bare foot and walked away to put his books away. Georgie convulsed involuntarily. It tickled her and Snape knew it.   
  
He returned to the room. She pointed her finger up at him shakily. "Georgius Dormiens Nunquam Titilandus."  
  
"You weren't sleeping though." He corrected. "You should not have bare feet when it's December. This is a castle and these are Dungeons," He tried to sound helpful, but his face remained expressionless. "Besides," His eyes turned to the windows. "The rain and wind will make even this place damp after awhile."  
  
She drew her head up and swiveled her body so that she was now sitting normally with her feet on the floor. Her head swam for a second and her eyes rolled back into her head for a second, then everything came back into focus. Snape watched her from his seat on the other couch.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't sit like that. When you right yourself, you like sick and green and it catches me off guard." He began to write something on a piece of parchment.  
  
"Lumos sucks." She moaned bitterly.  
  
"That good?" He sniggered without looking up. "What did you do all day?"  
  
She was supposed to meet Pomfrey today for a lesson after her Herbology class, but the dear lady decided to attend a conference on the latest treatments of boils and skin irritations. "I read. Burned stuff. Read some more. Burped." She answered disinterestedly. "Oh, I finished Remus' potion. It's in the usual place in the cabinet behind your desk in the classroom." She burped.  
  
"I hope you didn't drink any of it."  
  
"'Course not, I just put it in your supper." He grinned at her for that.  
  
"How about some music?"  
  
"I'd rather not play right now." She apologized, she was feeling too lackadaisical to play.  
  
"Don't need to. Bring your music-player." Her face lit up. Severus usually was all contempt towards her Muggle things.  
  
"Okily dokily." And she returned with it a few seconds later.  
  
"I figured most of my music that had words were a bit too heavy, so I bring you classical."  
  
"I like opera…" Severus volunteered, still not looking up.  
  
She flipped through the discs in her hands. "I would suggest Carmina Burana or, hmm, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Tosca, La Bohème or …Aida, Carmen, Don Giovanni or …."  
  
"You like Puccini. Which would you prefer?"  
  
"I prefer Italian over German any day. Um, prolly Turandot, it's got one of my fave songs."  
  
"Well then let's have it and turn it up loud."  
  
"Severus, I'm surprised at you!" She pretended to scold him. She plopped the disc inside and turned it on. "Some thunder for the rain," she murmured.  
  
She lay back on her couch and closed her eyes listening to the music fill her with emotions. Italian wasn't one of the many languages that she spoke, and she was glad of this. So when she would listen to her opera, the music and the passions would speak for themselves. She could tell when the singer was hurt, or angry, or in love…it was all on account of the music.  
  
When her favorite song Nessun Dorma played she sat up to her knees on the couch and leaned over the end of the couch facing the fire. She lifted the flames and sent waves crashing down to the floor of the hearth grating in time with the music. Her arms swept back and forth as she made wild gestures to control the dancing flames. When the climactic ending blared through the speakers, she brought small individual orbs out of the fireplace and up into the air above her head. They burst noiselessly like fireworks. She was moving her hand like a conductor would, frantically and controlled. The ending was fast and furious and she was out of breath as she collapsed on her sofa, warm-faced and grinning like a fool.  
  
She turned her head. Severus was staring unabashedly at her in total amazement. Georgie felt really shy and embarrassed. "The music helps," She ventured.  
  
"I guess so." He nodded numbly.  
  
She lay back down and closed her eyes once more.  
  
  
When the album stopped she hopped up and threw in another disc, but didn't stick around to enjoy it. Her Mediwizardry Cabinet was out of a potion she used to treat organ damage and she'd bought bezoar and it was going to go bad of she didn't make the potion today. She was such a procrastinator, she hung her head as she got to her feet, but she always got things done on time at least. She couldn't let others down.  
  
She packed up her cauldron and her ingredients. She used Severus' if she needed any others, but she thought she had everything. She stumbled out into the room. "Brr." She commented, as she set her cauldron down on the empty couch and turned back to her room. She returned wearing socks and trying to pull on both shoes while in a tottering standing position. She hefted up her cauldron and headed for the door.   
  
"Need anything?" He turned away from his papers and looked to Georgie. She smiled and shook her head, "Nope thanks for asking though." She took a step and stubbed her toe. "Damn!" and she bit her lip, as she managed to hold onto her cauldron and to not drop it on her other toe.  
  
Severus called at her, "You've been surprisingly devoid of vulgar language lately." He goaded.  
  
"Hey Snape?" She tried not to smirk as he looked at her over at her expectantly.  
  
"Fuck you."   
  
He actually laughed at that. "I almost missed that. Almost."  
  
She passed through the door and called over her shoulder "You thought that was good, you just wait. It's all been bottled up…"  
  
He laughed to himself and shook his head. He was still amazed that she hadn't lost interest with the whole Mediwiardry 'thing' as she so basely put it. Her stores that she kept up weren't just for burns and lacerations. She had cold and flu potions, antidotes to most everything--poisons included; to minor mishaps with hexes and charms gone bad. Very thorough. He was proud of her.  
  
She burst back through the door. "I forgot to tell you we're out of Bugleweed for Lupin's next potion, but that's a full month away and I was wondering if you had Goldenrod for the Anti-Hemorrhage." He stood up and disappeared into his room and returned with three jars in his hand.   
  
"Here's the Bugleweed; just put it back in the cabinet." He handed to her. "There's not much Goldenrod, so I brought Yarrow, which will work just as well."   
  
She beamed at him accepting the jars, "Severus, You're the absolute best! I'll replace them when I shop next time." She assured him.  
  
"No need. I go into Hogsmeade once a week. Just tell me when we're out of something." He called after her as she pranced out of the room once more.  
  
  
  
The heat in the stuffy classroom was making her head swim. True, her inner thermostat usually ran cold, she guessed the dampness in the castle did have something to do with it. Also the fumes from this particular potion she found particularly rancid. She coughed a bit and snatched up a quill from Severus' desk to scratch out the ingredients she'd used up. She fastened it to the outside door of the cabinet using her wand and then turned to her still simmering brew.  
  
She stood over it and peered into the depths of the mustard-colored mixture. It really did smell awful, she held her nose as she backed away and tried not to gag. Seating herself on a desk she contemplated the fact that it was December already and she hadn't the foggiest what she was going to get Severus for a Christmas present. She decided that she'd probably stick around Hogwarts for the holiday, but she didn't know what Severus' plans would be. She kicked her toe nervously into the desk leg.   
  
She'd probably get him a book. But that sounded so droll! She knew that he valued books most, but still…it had better be one hell of a book. Maybe something fun also, some toy like the water gun. Looking down at her own attire that day, she pondered the possibility of something pertaining to Quidditch. She was wearing her favorite Muggle football team's kit that day. "What is 'Man Uted?' anyway?" He'd asked once a few weeks ago when she'd donned a red beanie with that printed on the brim. "Muggle football. The absolute best team around." She gushed. "Manchester United." He still looked to be in the dark. "Oh."  
  
Perhaps a poster or a scarf or something. He wouldn't go for team robes at all, he wouldn't dress so distinctly or colorful. The Morrismount Manglers was his favorite team--they were sure underdogs, and not at all popular with the masses. Gawd, she hated this. She really wanted to get something nice and useful, but the man wasn't an easy person to shop for. And she'd have to do it again for his birthday again, she groaned to herself. She lifted her eyes and saw that the potion was ready. The mustard yellow had mellowed to a softer, brighter gold. At least it ceased to smell like ass and she smiled to herself. She bottled the stuff up agilely, labeled the bottles, and then cleaned up her area.  
  
She sat a minute longer, waiting for the cauldron to cool. Ordinarily she'd use a Freezing Charm on it for a moment to bring down the temperature, but she felt lazy today, and she wasn't in a hurry.  
  
  
  
That weekend Georgie used the Floo Network to visit Diagon--or to be more specific Knockturn Alley. Severus had said if she'd ever wanted to go there he'd accompany her, but she was trying to shop for him, for his Christmas present, and she couldn't very easily tell him to turn his back so she could purchase something for him. She wandered slowly and seemingly aimlessly towards Gringotts and the streets beyond. She dressed inconspicuously, or so she tried. She wore dark colors and tried not to smile or catch others' eyes as she ambled onwards.  
  
She ducked inside a store with books in the front window. It was a tiny shop, near the back and off to a side street. The proprietor didn't appear to be there so Georgie took her leisure as she scanned the shelves for something that might be of interest to Snape. Nothing, nothing, nothing….She shook her head to herself and frowned as she craned her neck to see the topmost shelves. All the mass-produced books he'd probably already read: dark arts or no.   
  
"A-hem." A voice sounded behind her. She turned slowly and saw a bent old witch now standing at the counter against the back wall. "Can I find something for you?" She eyed Georgie with a look of dissatisfaction.   
  
"Actually," Georgie considered for a moment before walking over to the counter. "I'm looking for a book on Potions--but it has to be something special." She hurried on smoothly.  
  
The old woman considered this for a moment before unexplainably walking into a back room. Georgie turned around uneasily and leaned against the counter nonchalantly. She turned when the old women thrust a book into her hands. Georgie frowned and looked down at the dusty tome in her hands. It was massive--weighed a ton, she thought. It was leather-bound and it smelled funky.  
  
"It's very old and very rare." Those words seemed to light up Georgie's eyes excitedly, and the old witch took note of that. "Only seen one other in my life--and that was years ago," the old woman cackled. It was Ancient and Powerful Potions: Medieval Secrets. Severus had to like this, she smirked. It was just up his alley.  
  
Georgie paid for it and slunk from the shop, fumbling to put her money-purse away. It'd cost an arm and a leg--well not really, but she was positive that the old witch had taken advantage of her, and she grumbled to herself as she plodded along. Not only was it expensive, but it was heavy. She poked her wand out of her sleeve and mumbled a Lighten-Up spell, and that helped considerably.  
  
She glared at the passerbys who eyed her strangely. Georgie never really blended in anywhere. She was too dark, or exotic, or strange to blend in anywhere enough to be not noticed and starred at. Some days she hated it, other days she loved the attention. This wasn't one of those days.  
  
Severus thought she was in Hogsmeade and she'd persuaded Rosmerta to let her use her back fireplace. Rosmerta had laughed outright at her, joking her about having a secret life and being sneaky. Whatever got her through the day, so long as she could use the fireplace. Georgie liked Rosmerta: she was jolly, gorgeous and popular. Plus she was surrounded by Butterbeers all day, and every day was an adventure with such lively bunches of people that she saw.  
  
  
  
Georgie wandered back to Diagon Alley and slipped seamlessly into the throng of the afternoon shoppers. Georgie herself bought a book on Mediwizardry spells and eyed some enchanted jewelry in shop for robes. They were gorgeous, but she didn't feel up to anything enchanted after the dance. The twins had found them infinitely useful, and Georgie even suspected that Niamh was secretly seeing Professor Lupin--or at least they were spending heaps of time together. It would be against the rules she'd guess, but so the hell what if it were--if they were both happy with the situation. It was probably better that it was Niamh because Georgie was spending a lot of time with Siobhan and her crass and cutting style of conversation actually appealed to Severus' nature more than Niamh's polite one.  
  
She wound through the crowds--trust her to go on a weekend--up to a street vendor selling Funnel Cakes. She couldn't resist. Well, she could, but why should she? They were some friend dough concoction supposedly originating from some islands somewhere. She took her time making her way back to the Leaky Cauldron, munching on the flaky pastry. Minerva'd introduced her to her first Funnel Cake as Georgie had never before even heard of them. It was love at first bite.   
  
She waited a few minutes before returning through the fireplace allowing her stomach time to settle. Severus would love it if she came home and threw up on the floor. Chances were she'd pass out on Rosmerta's floor before she got as far as Hogwarts.  
  
But she didn't pass out on Rosmeta's floor, she'd staggered to the front room and thanked the woman in heels for the use of the fireplace and made her way outside--waving at students she knew who were enjoying themselves on a Hogsmeade Weekend.  
  
She huffed up the hill towards Hogwarts' gates in the drizzle and mist. It would be kind romantic being out here on a day like this, Georgie considered as she swung her cloak's long hemline back and forth as she walked. Like a tale of old Avalon, But that it was so mundane here. People were normal people, magic was simple magic, and there wasn't any feeling of extraordinary mystique or legend anymore. Days came and went, people did things, ate things, said things. She felt sorely deceived by those writers of fairy stories and old legends--though some were indeed historically acurate. It was just the embellished tales that had let her down. She shifted her bundles in her arms as she approached the large castle, tripping slightly on her own feet. Hell, even this was just made of stone--not out of the clouds or mist. She coughed deeply in the cold, and wondered if anything really ever had been…  
  
  
  
Severus sat at his desk in his rooms. He had finished grading papers hours ago and his lesson plans were prepared up until way into the New Year. December used to be the least favorite month of his childhood, but he didn't feel the same about it anymore. Sure he had enjoyed the snow and the break from school, but having to spend so much time with his family always killed what joy he could muster. Other students came home with stories of traditions and festivities, of great-uncles having too much to drink and of Christmas pantomimes, but the young Severus Snape had kept his mouth closed.  
  
Dumbledore and Georgie and the rest of the staff were all the family Severus had now, and though he couldn't stand most of them and their peculiarities most of the time, he was glad of their presence. He fingered his quill in his hand distractedly, he still hadn't gotten her a Christmas present. Sure Christmas was a long way off, but he liked to prepare these sort of things ahead of time. Georgie may be a procrastinator, but Severus Snape would not allow himself to fall into that habit of hers.  
  
The lounge was too quiet for him, or not quiet enough, he glared at the cackling fire in annoyance. She was off shopping or something in Hogsmeade he had assumed, as she'd walked away in that direction, swinging gaily in the gray fog until she disappeared from his view at the window. He sighed. Sometimes, when she pranced about so femininely like that he wished his best friend had been born a boy instead.  
  
He pushed his chair back. Perhaps if he asked Albus…the old man might have an idea of a Christmas present. He was always more sensitive and had known more women in his life than Snape had allowed in. He turned out the candles with his wand as he passed through his door.  
  
  
  
Georgie returned and deposited her bundles in her room--hiding Severus' book in the bottom of her wardrobe. Not as if he'd snoop, heavens no! But it made her feel more, Christmas-ey. The students still had another week of classes. Minerva had warned her that most of the students' minds wouldn't be all there the entire last week, so Georgie was of course eager to witness it.  
  
She lit a fire in the lounge fireplace and returned to her room. In her desk drawer she gather colored papers and spello-tape and scissors. And set to work with decorations. She really didn't know what possessed her to make these things--perhaps even last year she would have proclaimed this a waste of time, but this year… Part of her just wanted to do it to see if Severus would get upset, the other part of her wanted to do it because she knew that Severus hadn't had a happy childhood and he might secretly enjoy these. Though he'd probably be damned before he'd ever let her know that, she sniffed, agitated.   
  
She strung up loops of red and green paper, cut angels out for hanging up, raided Severus' supplies for Mistletoe--Oh, he was going to really kill her, she grinned evilly. She found pictures of stars and cut hideous snowflakes out of folded paper. She used the shiny, metallic paper for gleaming green trees and holly, golden stars, and silver bells. The bells really didn't look like bells at all Georgie thought as she held them out for inspection.  
  
When she was satisfied with the lot of it all, she scooped it up into her arms and padded out to the lounge. She hung Mistletoe beneath the door to the Common Room and the metallic papered decorations she affixed to the ceiling. She dragged a chair around the walls as she stretched to reach the decorations up into place. When she turned to survey her work, she allowed that it looked rather juvenile reaching every which way, with the hem of her skirt still damp from being outdoors, but she didn't care--the walls had been bare out here for too long.  
  
She was reaching above her head to tape up a juvenile snowflake by the window when she heard a sound at the door. She turned and sulked slightly. It wasn't a knock though, perhaps someone had brushed against the door. She waited. And she heard it again. Georgie set the snowflake down on the back of the couch and went to open the door.  
  
She threw the door open and she half-expected Severus to stand there, tall before her eyes. But instead she almost missed the great black dog sitting at her feet. Georgie looked around confusedly, how the hell did it get inside? Georgie asked the dog that question, but as she said it she saw that Slytherins were streaming in and out of the Common Room's entrance, most leaving it open for long periods. "Oh…" She nodded, then looked down at it.  
  
"Well, doggie, I wonder what you're doing here in Hogwarts. Does doggie want some munchies?" She asked it in baby-tones as it stood up and trotted inside the door. It sat down on it's haunches by the fire and starred at her. What a mild-mannered pooch, she grinned. Georgie ducked into her room momentarily then returned sighing. Unfortunately her 'munchies' were not the kind to agree with a dog's palate.   
  
The dog remained by the fire and Georgie approached it and scratched it's dark head. "What a good dog! You stay here and I'll steal you some food, okay?" She turned on her heel and stalked from the room towards the kitchens.  
  
She returned minutes later trying to conceal a plate-shaped object wrapped in brown paper. The dog was lying before the fire and it sat up as she entered. Georgie swept over to it's resting spot and tore away the paper. The plate was filled with beefs from last nights' dinner, the house-elves had turned a curious eye on her when she'd requested only meat and no Diet Coke.  
  
She set the plate before the dog, who cocked his head to one side then the other regarding her. "Oh, for heavens sake. Eat it dog! It's good for you!" She rattled the plate a little. The black head stuck out over the plate and the nose sniffed the beef cautiously. Georgie rolled her eyes. Finally it's muzzle snapped out and gobbled up a string of beef. "Good," Georgie declared triumphantly. She walked away to get it some water from the bathroom. When she returned it was eating the food with more gusto, Georgie observed. She set the wide cup of water next to the food plate. The dog eyed her only for a second before returning it's attention to the beef. "Oh, Severus is going to murder me tonight."  
  
Georgie walked to the bookcase and selected a book and returned to the couch, but progress was slow because the beast was lapping up the water and snorting noisily as it chomped on the meat. Finally the sounds died down and Georgie managed to gain a page uninterrupted. The creature poked it's head around the corner of the couch Georgie was stretched out on and came to a stop before her. She turned from her book and looked down at the dog. It lifted it's large black paws to the edge of the seat cushion and managed to flop his shaggy head on Georgie's lap. Big smelly dirty dog, Georgie pondered for a moment, before reaching out one of her hands to begin scratching his ears.  
  
They sat like this for a while, Georgie reading her book and turning pages with one hand, while with the other indulging the mutt's scratching whims.  
  
About an hour before dinner Severus came in from the Common Room, robes billowing behind him. Georgie set her book down and greeted him warmly. He came around to stand behind her, "What happened today with you?" He looked up at all the decorations with a look she couldn't read. Distaste, uneasiness, who knows with him…. "Went shopping, decorated a bit, and I found a new friend." Severus hadn't caught sight of the dog yet. "It's a doggie," she indicated with her free hand.  
  
Severus leaned over her, "Hello Sirius." And he walked to the bookshelf.  
  
"You know the doggie's name!" Georgie squealed enthusiastically. "How ever…?" She stopped.  
  
He waved his hand dismayingly at her from the bookshelf, "He's not a 'doggie', Georgie, he's a man." He said evenly.  
  
Georgie stopped scratching the beasts' head and froze.  
  
"You're joking me." She challenged Severus.  
  
"I am not joking you. He's an Animagi."  
  
Georgie looked into the eyes of the dog and the dog seemed to be doing the same to her at the same time. "Severus, this isn't funny…"  
  
Georgie withdrew her hand and pushed herself up further on the couch, ready to leap over it if she had to. Of course she knew if Severus knew this dog, er, man than he wasn't to be feared, but still.  
  
Severus continued, "He's godfather to Harry Potter--stays sometimes in the spare room down here. Helps out Dumbledore and the Ministry every so often. Probably here for the holidays." Looking at her, he added. "He's harmless." He didn't know if she'd heard about his escape from prison a few years ago over in Poland, but the Ministry had secretly cleared him this last year. So there was no harm done. The man secretly nettled Severus but at least he wasn't a murderer. Well, alright; not so secretly he admitted before himself…  
  
Georgie, vaulted over the back of the couch, "Uh, I have to go check on something…" she muttered as she dashed out the door in her stocking feet.  
  
"You'll have to excuse her--she's insane." Snape fondly explained to the dog. "She'll return for introductions before dinner, as she's running about with no shoes on." He smirked dryly.  
  
The dog slowly morphed into a man with wispy black hair, who then crossed the room to extend his hand to the Potions Master. "Good to see you Snape." He spoke cordially.  
  
"And you, Sirius." He motioned towards the couches. "Care for a drink before dinner?"  
  
"Heck no, but thanks," he grinned broadly. "Maybe afterwards though. How are things?"  
  
"Same as always. Classes with dolts for students, getting banged up by Death Eaters and Aurors alike. Life's peachy." He actually grinned at the man sitting opposite him.  
  
Sirius Black hadn't let it pass unnoticed, Severus Snape had grinned. "I'm doing alright. It's a bother to get here though. Can't apparate on the grounds, and couldn't apparate into Hogsmeade as a dog…" He shook his head and crossed his legs casually. "Ministry's working me hard--keeps me occupied."  
  
Severus nodded. They were quite alike in many ways, and working for the Ministry was the least of these similarities. Perhaps that was why they sometimes clashed so. "So did Georgie get you something to eat?" He motioned towards the empty plate and the cup by the fire.  
  
Sirius thought, oh, so that's the girl's name. "Yes, she was kind enough to run off to the kitchens for a poor helpless dog." He sniggered.  
  
Severus didn't like his tone, "Why must you come as a dog? And proceed to stay as a dog? You probably gave her a fright and it's not being completely honest with a person you're going to be seeing down here every day." He pointed out.  
  
"Ladies always are more sympathetic to helpless animals." He laughed. "Didn't mean to scare her though. So…" he leaned forward. "Are you guys married or together or something?"  
  
Severus Snape just stared at the man. He wasn't angry, wasn't insulted, just…well, numb at the question. "No, why ever would you ask that?"  
  
Oh, Sirius had his many reasons, "She's living down here with you, she's not a teacher. I don't know, just made sense when I asked it."  
  
"I live there," Severus lifted a thin finger towards his door. His voice was stern. "And she lives over there. She's a student--an older, graduated student. She's also a Slytherin. She's doing independent studies and Assistant Teaching and learning the language and the lay of the land." He spat out.   
  
"That's all?" Sirius knew he was pushing it.  
  
"She's my closest friend." Snape allowed. Sirius just nodded.  
  
"Good to know." He remarked unaffectedly.  
  
Severus changed the subject. It would be hardly proper for Georgie to return to find the two men talking about her.  
  
Georgie did burst back through the door a few minutes later, all apologies and smiles. She extended her hand to the now-a-man Sirius and sat beside him on the couch and asked about his travel here. He replied warmly and answered her smiles with more of his own; he seemed everything affable and fun. Georgie traced a bit of the cocky to him--not like Severus' professional sort of cockiness, but Sirius Black was full of himself because he seemed to think himself irresistible. Georgie would ask Severus about that later.  
  
She rose and admitted she had to find her shoes before dinner and stalked off to her room. Sirius' eyes followed her. Severus' eyes followed his.  
  
Georgie brushed her hair and leered at the mirror as she tried to block out the muffled masculine voices streaming from the other room. This was her and Severus' space, they were the crazy ones and it just wouldn't be as much fun over the holidays to add one more to their merry number. But she would soon be proved wrong.  
  
She joined the men again and suggested they go on up to dinner, and they both rose and followed her from the lounge. She pouted the entire way upstairs; this was going to suck.  
  
  
  
  
After dinner Sirius went up to visit with Dumbledore and Harry, so Severus snagged Georgie into his room as she returned from the meal. "What?" She asked angrily. "I'm already upset enough about our holiday visitor." She pouted, leaning onto his desk and supporting herself on her elbows.  
  
Severus grinned broadly from his chair. "Crazy intuition with you….I was just going to warn you, but I see no need…."   
  
"He looks at me damn funny: like I'm piece of meat, or else a stupid child. Neither one I particularly like." She snarled.  
  
"You read too much into him, He's harmless." He repeated.  
  
"He freaking led me on about being a dog, I just think that's dishonest or something. I mean, sure he is a dog…at times, but still…. He's probably laughing up his sleeve at me as we speak." She puffed up mournfully. "Christmas is going to suck!" She whined.  
  
Severus detested her use of the colloquial word 'suck'. "Everything will be as it always has been. Sirius Black is fonder of The Three Broomsticks and Rosmerta than he is of sticking around here. He won't disturb your studies, he knows what I go out to do; It will be fine." He assured her.  
  
"Just so you know, I hate this. I said it from the beginning, so when something odd happens, don't blame me." Georgie coughed as she pushed open the door and walked through.  
  
"You're being childish," Severus replied obstinately, "And stupid. Absolutely nothing's wrong here. You can still throw me to the ground on occasion if it'll make you feel any better. You can listen to music, go places, it's fine!" He followed her tensely into the lounge. He nodded to Sirius who was lounging on the couch by the fire watching them both.  
  
Severus crossed the floor and stood close by her at the doorway to the Common Room. She leaned in, "I was just jerking you around--I'm not at all worried," she giggled. He sighed deeply then sneered; he had wondered what the devil she was ranting on about. But her face sulked into a frown of displeasure, "But don't ever call me childish." She glared at him for a moment. Severus looked at her intently as she spied Sirius watching them whisper together very closely.   
  
"And just try to explain this one away." He didn't even have time to question her before she pointed her index finger straight up. Severus instinctually lifted his head and eyes to see what she was referring to, but by the time he'd spotted the Mistletoe she'd landed a great, loud, smack upon his cheek, and then dashed away out into the school.  
  
Color rose to his face, Damnit Georgie, he thought. He slowly turned back into the room to face a grinning Sirius who had witnessed the whole thing.  
  
  
  
Georgie decided to stay out until Severus' anger subsided, so she returned in time to join him for rounds and to apologize then. Severus' anger wasn't very long-standing with her, thank goodness, and they chatted normally as they wandered the halls in the dark. Georgie admitted that Sirius seemed like a fine person, heck, he was even funny--he'd make a good addition to the holiday and they'd all have a blast.  
  
Severus reminded her that he'd be out late this coming week and reminded her to make sure Lupin got his potion in time. She rolled her eyes, and ignored him trying to be sensible. She complained about the dire lack of snow and told him that he should try and work on that before tackling something as big as Voldemort. He chuckled up his sleeve and assured her it was at the top of his list. She pouted, "See but you laugh. No snow…"  
  
  
  
It did snow two days later, much to Georgie's delight and Severus' ambivalence. She tromped in one late afternoon after her classes, shaking her wet hair everywhere and stood before her friend who looked to be almost napping on the couch. She thrust out a jar. He peered into it obligingly. It was a jar of just snow, he thought. He squinted harder to see what she was wishing him to see. He looked up at her quizzically.   
  
"It's Poland." She cackled and snatched it back and passed to her room.  
  
"You're demented!" He yelled after her.  
  
Georgie replied with a string of loose coughing and an expletive.  
  
  
  
  
In Herbology, Georgie was beginning to out-grow her lessons--at least the degree of skill needed in that class, and by mid-week, Professor Sprout asked her to stay afterwards to discuss a new class-schedule. Georgie grudgingly blamed her Potions knowledge and Mediwizardry training--as she used most of them almost daily--for ousting her from the Herbology class that she enjoyed with her young friends, into another different year class after they returned from the break.  
  
  
The door to the lounge slammed open, "Life sucks!" She cried as she stepped into the room. "Oh, goodbye Sirius," she called as the black dog hurried past her legs and out the door.  
Severus poked his head out of his room, "Why does it suck?" He posed to her.  
  
"Because Herbology's the only class I still have problems with. Today I couldn't remember this herb, well duh, it was an herb…" she rambled. "I know when it grows, what it's useful for, what it looks like…. But not the stupid name!" She slammed her books down on the couch in frustration. "Your language sucks."  
  
Severus watched her--he knew better than to argue with her opinion of herself at that moment. "What is it used in?"   
  
"Wit-Sharpening and Memory Restoratives…."  
  
"Ginger root or Cowslip are used in both." He ducked back inside his rooms.  
  
Georgie crashed onto her couch, "Probably Cowslip…I suck."  
  
Severus came out and stepped around the couch to sit opposite her. "I'm going out tonight. Shouldn't be too late."  
  
Georgie burped then coughed deeply. "I want to get so smashed," she confessed mournfully. "Fucking off-the-charts, drinking myself under the table."  
  
"Because of not knowing the name of a flower?"  
  
"No, just tired…." She looked at him. "Not as tired as you, though, I'd venture."  
  
He didn't say anything, but continued to stare at her expressionlessly.   
  
She sighed. "Severus, you sticking around for the holidays or going somewhere?" She crossed her fingers.  
  
"Staying. I might go visit the house-elves, but I think I'm going to stay here. Have you made plans? Are you going to visit your family?"   
  
"Nah, my parents are…busy. I'll owl them presents and stuff, but I haven't been home for a Christmas in such a long time…" And the last time she had, she'd spent Christmas Day playing with the house-elves and wandering around her family's large house by herself. Her parents were never quite the same after… She shook her head violently, "Nope, sticking it out here. We can hang." She teased  
  
"Looking forward to it," He patted her knee and stood up unsmilingly. "I'm going to leave before dinner, so I'm going to see what the house-elves can make up for me."  
  
She waved him off. Little sister would wait up for big brother and patch up his boo-boos.   
  
  
  
A/N--thanks to everyone who is still reading this. Much appreciated. 


	16. Chapter Sixteen Winter Interlude

Chapter Sixteen--Winter Interlude  
  
Warning: Strong Language--PG-13/R (emotions as well--yick)  
  
  
  
She didn't spend the evening idle. She finished writing a paper for her Defense Against the Dark Arts and she cleaned her clothes and then her rooms up nicely. For once she really didn't have anything that pressing. She usually did, and just ignored it to do something more fun, but this time...  
  
Sirius returned about dinnertime and accompanied her up to the Great Hall. He sat un-introduced with the staff, but he always wore a dark hat pulled over his eyes, obscuring his features. He sat just beyond Hagrid and boasted of the ladies he'd met that day and of the charming things he'd said to them. Hagrid whispered aside to Georgie, "Well, how's it 'e's not eating wi' them then?" Georgie coughed to cover a laugh and reached for her juice. Sirius Black fancied himself a ladies man, and Georgie believed it, but she didn't always wish to hear of it all. Still he was charming.  
  
Sirius walked with her downstairs and she noticed several odd looks from curious students. Sirius laughed as he explained that he'd probably not make it back that night, so don't wait up. Georgie giggled and wished him luck. He was such great fun truly, but she was glad to see him grab up his leather jacket (Georgie approved), to combat the wind and rain on the way to Hogsmeade and stride confidently out of the room. Sirius knew about Severus' work, but that still didn't mean that she wanted him around to see her bandage him up. And if Severus became embarrassed in having someone else watch him--Severus' temper was never long suffering, and having an audience might tick him off, Georgie imagined.  
  
She felt ill at ease an easy hour into sitting on her own in the lounge. She had no appetite for music or reading or studying. She knew she was being ridiculous, but she was one who always had to have an active occupation. Perhaps I should take up needlework, she giggled at the picture she'd make. She'd probably find a way to depict famous and bloody beheadings or something. Nearly Headless Nick might not appreciate the reminder though.  
  
She sighed and stood uneasily to her feet, she wobbled dizzily for a moment then, determined, marched to her room. She had even set her face into a grim pout of resolve, she thought generously of herself. She dug her cloak out of the wardrobe where it's remained since the day before when she'd used it to get to Herbology. As she slipped it on, before shutting the doors on the wardrobe, she spotted the vibrant colors of her dress-robes. She thought to purposely ignore them, but doing so hadn't changed the fact that the Christmas dance was only two days away. That and the end of term. End of term would be lovely. She'd get a chance to explore London perhaps, and Christmas itself was her favorite holiday. The season evoked wonderful memories of snow, songs, delicious foods baking, warm fires and friends--it was going to be fantastic this year also--she'd make sure of that.  
  
Ah, but the dance, she grimaced. She enjoyed dancing; just not particularly dances--if that made any sense, which Georgie deemed that it didn't. She wouldn't be able to pull anything fun like last time, but it was alright--Severus didn't get handed the Emcee duty, so he could leave when he damn well felt like it.  
  
She found a knit scarf that smelled like the pastry she'd bought in Diagon Alley; she'd probably gotten some of it on it, she sniffed deeply. She brought her hand to head, as if to run it through her hair, but she paused at the top of forehead. She coughed, Man, I got to get out of here--I feel constricted. She grabbed a beanie and stuffed her hair up into it harshly as she walked back to the lounge--Sirius always called it 'the study' but that title irked Georgie. It sounded too formal, when half the time they all just gabbed and joked and teased one-another.   
  
She brought a fire to life in the fireplace for warmth and for once not for Severus' return. He had spelled out to her that he was going to apparate to just to the outside of the Forbidden Forest then trek in on foot. She thought him being paranoid, but it was his life, she had shrugged, if he wants to get cold and wet and die of a absurd cold, go on ahead. And she told him just that as well.  
  
Georgie looked to her watch, Mickey--faithful little Mickey smiled at her and told her it was only nine and she could go off and return with plenty of time to prepare for Severus' return. God bless Mickey, she grinned smugly--He was a constant. She passed through the Common Room--it was uncommonly dark and silent for that time of night--but she guessed most everyone had to be at the library--studying up for exams. Siobhan had spent the majority of her spare time there now that the threat of exams loomed before the poor girl. Siobhan had joked and stopped a student to ask directions to the Library, as she'd never been there before....  
  
Georgie pushed open the side door to the outside, battling back the winds. Her cloak slapped against her legs and she strained to turn her face away from the wind. This is so cool, she grinned as she took a few steps forward. She was leaning pretty far over and her progress was slow. She kept one hand on top of her head, making sure her hat stayed in place. "Woo-hoo!" She couldn't help but to whoop into the wind, which drowned almost all noise out. It rose and fell in gusts and the trees at the edge of the forest seemed to be bobbing like corks in a bathtub, kinda humorous. She took faltering steps and had to bring her hand up to her face every few steps to wipe the ice-rain from her eyes, nose and chin. Her eyes opened wide in shock as some water ran unsolicited down her shirt.  
  
This is an adventure, she laughed madly to herself, as she began her long hike uphill in the wind around the lake.  
  
  
  
She returned, shaking and numb from the cold. Her fingers were swollen and red, and her face stung from the wind. She dashed over to stand in front of the fire. She felt wonderfully alive. Her senses were screaming at her, and the sudden change from very cold to very hot had made her blood stream through her veins like racing quicksilver.  
  
It was only half eleven, so she figured she'd shower and then vegetate on the couch for awhile. She kicked off her shoes and lined them up in front of the fire. She trooped off to her room to grab her towel and shampoos.  
  
The scalding water beat her back nearly purple. The steam rose up around her in warm clouds, raising the hairs on the back of her neck. Her feet were almost frozen when she'd peeled her socks off and threw them on the floor of the bathroom, she had wiggled her toes and seen them move with her own eyes, but felt nothing under her feet when she set them back down to the tile. Now she just got lost in her thoughts and her feelings--God, it was heavenly; she closed her eyes in bliss. And it was going to be freezing when she eventually got out and walked around with wet hair. She stayed in for as long as she dared to.  
  
She dripped water in a faint line behind her when she streaked in her towel and robe back to her wardrobe. She slipped quickly into a warm nightdress and pulled socks on before sticking her feet inside her slippers. She threw a blanket around her shoulders and padded gingerly to check the medical stores. When she was completely satisfied with their contents, she plopped down on the couch with her new Mediwizardry book from Diagon Alley. She wished she'd gotten a chance to practice more spells, but with the injuries Severus brought home, she was fated for more Potions work. She couldn't very well tell Severus to come back covered in scales every once in a while to give her practice. Well, she could tell him, but he'd ignore her so it wasn't really worth it.  
  
She followed several diagrams with her finger: a fascinating topic--wand surgery. She didn't think Madam Pomfrey ever got the chance to try something like that--thank goodness. If some young witch or wizard had that serious of a problem, they were simply sent to St. Mungo's. Still, Field Mediwizard's were trained in rudimentary techniques. She'd look deeper into that possibility over the holiday she considered excitedly.  
  
All of the sudden the door banged open and slammed into the wall behind it. Georgie's head snapped up. Severus was standing rigid in the doorway. He was sopping wet and very, very dirty; she narrowed her eyes at him disapprovingly. If he'd listened to her, if he'd have gone by Floo, then he wouldn't be as wet, as cold as...  
  
"You look like crap," Georgie she said rather harsher than she'd intended, noticing he had a faint bloody nose.  
  
"My apologies," Severus seemed to ignore her--he looked right past her, or through her even. Ah, just like the good old days, Georgie remembered bitterly. He took a step forward and his strength seemed to falter, and he stumbled and caught himself from falling by grabbing hold of the end of the couch.   
  
Georgie was out of her seat like a flash, "Oh my goodness, you're hurt. What happened? Should I get Pomfrey?" He shook his head violently and frowned at something behind her. She accosted him and saw that his face was translucent and his lips were tinged blue. She whipped the blanket off of her shoulders and threw it around his neck.   
  
"Holy crap, you're freezing," she took his hands in her own. Severus always had cold hands, but this--this was like a corpse. She reached around him and nearly dragged him over to where she was just a few seconds ago sitting. She turned her wand on the fire and made it blaze higher and hotter than before. His pupils were dilating--she wondered if it was from the cold or from something else. She checked him over briefly for signs of burns or bleeding. His nose was bleeding, but she felt the bone for breaks and it was fine.   
  
She hopped up and ran to the supply cabinet and grabbed a Pepperup and Thawing potion to combat the effects of the cold first. He seemed to be in a sort of daze and his glossy eyes couldn't focus on her face or her voice. She furled her brows; it's a miracle he made it to the castle at all. A minute after he had swallowed grudgingly the two potions--he'd hoarsely coughed smoke--still his eyes hadn't come back into focus. She bit her lip, what the hell happened? She honestly didn't know.....  
  
She lay Severus down and hefted his feet onto the couch, she crawled over shuffling on her knees until she was directly above his face. "Severus? If you can hear me you have to let me know, okay?" She made sure panic didn't creep into her voice.  
  
"Severus, I can fix whatever's got to you if you tell me what it is. Can you hear me? Just tell me what it is?" She coaxed urgently. She checked his vitals; it was some kind of shock--but to what she hadn't a clue. If worse came to worse, she'd give him anti-dotes to everything she could think of--but he'd be incapacitated for days afterwards.  
  
"Severus, dear, listen to my voice. Please! Just tell me what it is so I can help you." She was frustrated and she knew that he could hear her speaking at him.  
  
"Did something hit your head?" She paused. No answer. "Was it a Slow-Motion spell?" She threw-out a small list of options to the man. That was a long shot, and she knew it. The symptoms barely bore any resemblance to it--it was a waste of breath and time to bother. "Was it Incendigrito?" Quite probable. But nothing. She ticked her tongue in disappointment. "A sort of Petrification?" She hated to ask, shit, she hated this... "Severus, was it Cruciatus?" She watched in shock as he slowly acknowledged that it had been that curse by nodding.  
  
"Fuck." She exclaimed. That meant that if he was subjected to it for an extended period of time he might have internal bleeding, which would need to be stopped now. She jumped to her feet and grabbed the Anti-Hemorrhage potion and a few others. Cruciatus was odd in that it rarely did any physical damage, but messed them up psychologically afterwards for a short time. He was most likely in shock from that.  
  
She poured the first bottle down his throat and he coughed and sputtered, but his eyes seemed to regain some of their lost focus. She put her hand on his shoulder, "Severus, what happened?" She articulated carefully. He seemed to see her for the first time. "Orris got Azkaban for life today. Voldemort doesn't know why though...only that He's momentarily losing ground. He put the Cruciatus on all of us gathered there." He turned from her and starred at the ceiling, apparently finished with speaking.  
  
She lifted his head up so he could swallow the other potions and then set him down lightly. "Fucking bastard." She fumed. She slid her wand out of her pocket and lifted Severus' shirt at the navel. She held her wand to his stomach and lungs and heart to reinforce them and then cast a spell to reduce swelling-damages and internal bleeding.   
  
"Damn!" She kept uttering out-loud. "Damned asshole..." she finished, and pulled his shirt back down. She looked at his stern and stony face, his eyes alive, but vacant--somewhere else... A surge of rage raced through her and she seethed. "Voldemort's fucking dead. Just lovely... ah, Damn!" She spat, in a voice not like her own. She wanted to say that it wasn't fair, but Severus had once retorted back "You say that so often, I wonder what your basis for comparison is?"  
  
  
She got to her feet. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck..." She wanted to punch something or kill something. What gave the right to do that to anyone else?!  
  
She checked Severus again and his breathing seemed normal once again, he was fine--not hurt. She was glad of that, but not over her anger because of it. He'd snap out of his daze in a couple hours, hell in the morning he'd be fine. The irony of it, made her sick to her stomach. She asked him another question, but he didn't respond, and Georgie just shrugged it off.  
  
She walked to her room and lifted the extra blanket off the end of her bed, then returned to drape it over Severus. His face was regaining some color to it--it looked unnatural on him, but she knew it was a good sign. That was all she could do, damn stupid Mediwizardry. It didn't do anything really, she reflected in a bitter moment. She sat by him for a moment, making sure he was warm--she didn't want dying of an ague or the flu or something.  
  
She rose to her feet. She didn't want to leave him, but she had to tell Dumbledore. Someone had to know, especially if she wasn't to tell Madam Pomfrey. She didn't lift her eyes from him until she'd passed out of the doorway, shutting it tightly behind her. She jogged up to the Headmaster's office. It was past midnight already and she dreaded waking him, but she'd do it if she had to, no question. She frowned and looked daggers all around her as she mounted the steps to his door. She knocked on his door and the old man opened it after a few tense moments. Georgie looked to her shoes, her hands, her nails, anything to keep her from screaming and going crazy.  
  
They exchanged a few hurried words and the old man insisted on following her back down to the dungeons.  
  
  
  
  
On their entering, Severus appeared to be acting a bit more like himself. He was cognizant enough to realize that she'd left him alone, she hoped he wouldn't hold it to her and all. Dumbledore stood beside Georgie looking down at Severus, Dumbledore asking after his condition and Georgie trying to sound professional as she explained what it was and how he'd gotten it and what she'd done to help him.   
  
"There's nothing one can do," she explained clearly upset. "It just chews you up, spits you out...and you recover. I wish there were more..." Dumbledore hushed her own self-doubts with a look before she even voiced then. She knew he was right, but she second-guessed everyone's idea to have her do this stupid Mediwizard thing. It was a joke. Madam Pomfrey would suffice, who the hell saw if Severus was in the corridors? She knew that much thought had gone into this, but she felt not up to it. Who the hell could be up to it? How could he live like this? How could she?  
  
Severus answered a few specific questions for Dumbledore and the old man replied finally that this would be enough for tonight, and that Severus had better rest now. He turned nodded and smiled to Georgie and walked out. Georgie just stood there starring at Severus, not making a sound, not twitching a muscle. He grew slightly uncomfortable at this.   
  
"Thank you for whatever you did." He said gruffly.  
  
"Don't you ever do that to me again, Severus Snape." She replied coldly and evenly. Severus found her flashing eyes and angry face to be dangerous and frightening--he was amused.  
  
"I cannot help what is done to me, you know that." He began reasonably in a cold undertone. "I'm doing this for the good of everyone, I don't care what he does to me so long as in the end we will win."   
  
"How noble." She sneered. Kneeling beside him, "I didn't know what to do at first. I thought you might die or something. Voldemort's one sick fuck."  
  
He looked at her harshly for her language.  
  
"I know what you're going too say, and to that I say, 'Fuck it and fuck you'." She seethed. "It doesn't matter in the end does it? Nothing does. I patch you up and you go out and get mangled again. You've repaid your debt to society and all that. You're free, why can't you just live like a free man? How can you live like this for so very long, Severus, how can you?" Her eyes were full of hurt and she just felt like breaking down under the weight of the stress and the emotions.  
  
He did not have time for these...emotions from her. He replied coldly, "I do what I must to stay alive--that's what war is. My goals drive me on--I want to see Voldemort destroyed, nothing less. You have to have something to motivate you, or you get sucked into the machinery." He said acridly. "We all lose some of our humanity and our innocence. Hopefully the end-results will outweigh the casualties."  
  
"Damnit, Severus, you're not going to make it out of this alive."  
  
Neither said anything. Georgie's lower lip quivered as she fought back tears.  
  
"I might not. Certainly better men than I have died for this." His features were gaunt.  
  
"I don't care if better men than you die--I care if you die." The last few words were slurred by the sniffling and the blurred vision the tears running down her face occasioned. She looked down and wiped her eyes on the back of her hand, "I hate myself."  
  
He ignored that and even he feigned a pout at this coming from his friend. He sat up and patted the cushion beside him for her to sit, and so she joined him.  
  
"I've told you before I have no intention of dying. Quite the opposite really, I promise you." He tried to sound reassuring, but that was ridiculous. She knew it as well as he did. "I'll live for a long time yet, I have things to do still..."  
  
"Don't die." She spoke sadly. She knew that their talking about things wouldn't change a single thing.  
  
He reached out and hugged her close to his side. He stared straight ahead of him, while tremors shook her shoulders in silence for what seemed a long time. He knew he wasn't a very...warm person. Still, it felt...natural? No, Merlin's sake, not natural. Perhaps habitual, perhaps imitative of her behaviors. But no, not natural.  
  
"Severus, listen, I'm sorry. I'm just kind of high-strung tonight," she voiced quietly and in control of herself once again. "Ignore me, okay. I know that you are doing the right thing. Just sometimes, I worry about you and everything seems hopeless, and..." She sighed. "I dunno what the hell's the matter with me. I should be helping you, not planting dire thoughts in your head. Lately I've been breaking down and becoming all soft--not at all like myself. Forgive me."  
  
"No need."  
  
"But there is. I don't know how you can live like this, I couldn't. I'm cracking under watching you live this. Others couldn't stand it. You certainly don't need rubbish from me on top of it all." She shook her head lightly.  
  
If this was her idea of apologizing, why did it feel like she was accusing him further? "Just keep me alive, alright." He patted her arm. "We'll call everything even if you can keep me alive." He chuckled at this tall order.  
  
She even allowed herself to grin at it. "I shouldn't have said that you wouldn't make it..." She burst into tears anew on his shoulder and laughed through them.  
  
He smiled at the sight she made. She looked awful, but he was touched, and pained that he hurt her at the same time. Still he had a job to do, and he wasn't about to change. Not for her, or for anyone. It just was one of those things...  
  
She hiccuped and coughed, then giggled. "Oh dear, this is awkward." She laughed. Severus didn't speak, just sat there like a rock with is arm about her. Georgie leaned back easily against his shoulder putting her full weight on him, then brought her feet up beside her and her fingers played with her toes absent-mindedly.   
  
"I wish I could go with you. Then I could get you out of trouble and stuff," She growled.  
  
He enjoyed he child-like simplicity. "As much as Voldemort would enjoying hearing such a confession, I do not. And don't get any ideas. I would murder you myself if you were fool enough to follow in my footsteps. I'd being doing you a favor."  
  
"You don't mean that," she looked at him harshly.  
  
"Yes I do. At least..." Indecision crept into his voice. He'd never killed anyone whom he'd liked or had a personal relationship. Only 'bad people', or so he told himself.  
  
"Uh, okay." Unpredictable, Severus was so weird sometimes. He said once in jest that he had 'inner demons' and Georgie had exclaimed 'cool' or something to that. "I think I'll become a priest." Georgie proclaimed out of the blue.  
  
Severus was surprised, but by now he was getting halfway used to these outbursts. "You're not a male, I think that immediately eliminates you from the running."  
  
"Well, I'll be a nun then."  
  
"Why ever would you do that?" Besides having to live as a Muggle.  
  
She laughed highly, and coughed. Damn cough--it was the moistness in the castle she reckoned. "They devote their lives to study and service to humankind and all that stuff. It's all meditation and charity and stuff--bigger stuff than themselves. Plus they wear black." She winked. "What a glorious and useful way to live. I just wish I were always so useful."  
  
"You will be--but not like that."  
  
"But not for ever and always?" She prodded.  
  
"Not for ever. Sometimes I can see you causing uproars and making messes and making everyone worry for you and your sanity with everything you say and do." He smiled a little.  
  
"Ah," she simpered, "I'd love that life as well..." She sang, "How do you solve a problem like Georgie?"  
  
He snorted.  
  
She was very tired by now, but she felt like talking still. Her eyelids closed shut for a moment to rest them. "You'd be an awful priest, though sometimes you look like one. Black-clad, austere, mean..." She shook with laughter at her last accusation.  
  
"I am not mean." He insisted, almost angrily. He always thought of himself as fair and just.  
  
"Yeah, you tell that to those kids who wet themselves out of fear when they see you even walk by." She spoke lightly and she knew he realized she was being silly.  
  
"Just because I'm not some giggling sop," He slapped her upside the head. "It doesn't mean that I am a not a normal person." He growled irritably. "Just because a person isn't friendly, everyone thinks they're dark and evil." He stiffened. "A person may be contemplative, or reserved, or serious."  
  
"Bullshit." Georgie broke in. "You're mean, admit it."  
  
He glared at her, actually become quite upset. He had--well, he thought that he had--tried to be more 'human' as she called it.   
  
"It doesn't mean I don't think you're the greatest thing since Diet Coke," She paused to laugh at her own joke, "It's just the way you are, I suppose. I mean, we wouldn't want it any other way than you being yourself." She felt him behind her gathering himself up.  
  
"Severus, get off it. You're the greatest. Live with it, Alright? You're 'wicked' yourself. You've got a fabulously wicked sense of humor, you're 'deathly' intelligent, and no one knows about you so it's even cooler, 'cuz I can horde ya." She elbowed him sharply in the side, forgetting his injuries.  
  
"Oh, shit, sorry I forgot!" She laughed nervously as her eyes flew open in alarm, and she turned a worried eye on him  
  
He waved her of, "No harm done. What does deathly intelligent mean exactly?" He entreated her.  
  
"Dunno, made it up, but it sounded cool. Thought you'd like it better." She closed her eyes again and settled back on his shoulder. "You're marvelously mushy you know. So," she took a deep breath. "Tell all the nifty things you're going to get me for Christmas."  
  
The corners of his mouth twitched, but he didn't allow himself to smile. His eyes were smiling though. "Oh, I was thinking perhaps Exploding Playing Cards, or maybe a book on grooming. But I don't think you'd even bother to open it." She coughed at that.  
  
He continued on about the preposterous things he'd get her, she knew of course he wouldn't dare--she'd kill him if he tried some of them out on her, and moreover it wasn't his style. But his ideas for a self-singing guitar so he wouldn't have to be so tortured actually might have been doable.   
  
She eventually fell asleep, and Severus only stopped talking to himself when he had to shift beneath her weight, as his arm was numb. He looked at her curiously as it dawned on him that her eyelids were down and her breathing even. He definitely didn't hate her tonight, but he worried for her. She was so young, so impressionable. He knew her to be world-wise and everything, but violence and death could change someone so dramatically he'd hate to see more of that in her. But he also knew it was inevitable.  
  
He brought his hand up just above her head and hesitated. Then he lightly brought his hand to her hair and pat the top of her head. She didn't stir and he was glad because Severus was so in awe of his own behavior at this, that he wouldn't have been able to explain his way out of this. He'd never touched anyone's head like that, so...sweetly. He frowned at his own thought. It was such an intimate thing to do, like a parent to a sick child, a sweetheart to a sleeping lover--he shuddered at this. He certainly wouldn't want to come across as someone like that.  
  
He had once briefly thought of her in that sort of capacity--once when she was dressed all in tidy black and looked wonderful, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her so. Besides she'd been shooting out witty barbs and condescension so that he couldn't had he even wanted to. But Severus knew he didn't have feelings for her in that way, he knew it deeply within himself that he was being truthful--even if his mind wandered away in that direction every once in a great while. Just because she looked attractive, didn't mean he was actually attracted to her, he reasoned quite wisely. And Georgie certainly didn't feel that way, he knew without a hesitation. She'd probably be mortified if she knew he'd even thought in that way in any capacity.  
  
He assumed that she thought Severus almost devoid of deeper feelings like those. Still Severus Snape was a man--unfortunately, he grumbled. Thus things were never that easy. Thoughts just came like those when one spends so much time with another person. And when things went easily between the both of them, conversation and a general ease of feeling between themselves--it just made things amplified. She was his best friend, younger and crazier than he was; he admitted all the same.... He just didn't know what he was trying to say to himself right then.  
  
Best friends were for forever, and everything else would just complicate and destroy everything. Besides, he was content with his life now. He, like Georgie's great wish, was leading a life where he was needed--he was useful--He was an integral player in the dangerous game. He would live and in 10 years from then he would dance at her wedding, he would visit her children, be Uncle Snape or some other such nonsense. He preferred to have her around for a few years.  
  
He retracted his hand, and rested it snuggly on her shoulder. She was rather nice--in reality he knew she was really very normal, but to be his friend, endure his abuses... He stopped himself, imagining the headaches she'd given him in return. Perhaps it all evens out, he considered. She puts up with the grouchy old man, and he puts up with the obnoxious, impulsive girl. He sighed, trying not to stir her. At least their lives were full, and that was important.  
  
He suddenly started. It was rather late and here she lay, sleeping in arms. It would look like...well...he didn't want to consider what it looked like. And Sirius might burst in on them in the morning and set his tongue wagging and he'd have no peace. He was about to go into how he should move or some other option, when he stopped. They hadn't done anything, they were best friends and they were just sleeping. If they'd wanted to do anything, what sense would it make to do it right out in front of everyone? He smirked, Sirius might get a start, but what of it. He leered evilly into the darkness before him. Screw him, he sneered. Damn, he was even starting to sound like her. He brought his friend closer and soon he himself fell asleep, his head leaning on top of her head.  
  
  
  
Georgie awakened with a cramp in her neck, and a weight on her head. She froze when she realized a loose strand of black hair mingled with her brown hair had fell onto her cheek. It tickled something awful though. She shimmied her hand out and to the front of her so she could see what time it was. There was at least an hour still till breakfast, so she didn't feel up to waking her friend up. The windows were still black with darkness and she could hear the pat of rain against the window.   
  
She sighed and shivered a little, snuggling softly into her friend's side for further warmth. Severus Snape acting for the moment as Georgie's warm blanket slowly opened one eye, but didn't speak. He just peered sullenly around as his eyes adjusted, and the rest of him woke up. Georgie breathed deeply and felt Severus' heart beat through her back. She thought two things on that subject: that it was awkward being so close to someone else that you could actually feel their heartbeat, and also that he was way too skinny. She waited for him to wake up on his own, or until the time when she'd need to do it for him. She pouted and sat tight.  
  
She coughed a little and tried to stifle the convulsions of her shoulders. She daren't turn around to see if she'd woken him up with her last spasm of hoarse coughs, so she waited and as his breathing continued deeply and evenly, she figured he was still fast sleep. After another minute, she extricated her hand once more from it's entanglement and held it up towards the fireplace. A tiny, noiseless fire sprang to life before her eyes. But at that same second, she felt Severus' arms tighten around her. "You're cold." It was more a statement than a question. She nodded begrudgingly. Well, they were awake now...  
  
  
  
  
She flew into the room banging the door behind her and pointed an accusing finger at Severus, who sat at his desk in his classroom. "You gave away that Lupin was a werewolf and you turned Sirius over to the Dementors?!" She demanded highly incensed. He frowned, slightly annoyed that he had to set his quill aside. He muttered to shut the open door and found her level gaze.  
  
Ah, it appears that Sirius and she had been chatting. "You seem to have already made up your mind on the subject."  
  
"Come off it, Sirius told me. What the hell could have made you do that? That's beyond not-nice, it's cruel. How could you have not told me this?"  
  
He glared in her general direction--He did not appreciate being scolded by a student. "I didn't deny either." He looked her squarely in the face, rubbing his long nose momentarily. "My reasons for both are complicated, and I'm sure you wouldn't find either one satisfactory." Yes, considering the state she looked to be in.   
  
"Try me." She barely opened her mouth.  
  
"Lupin's unmasking was a hasty mistake--I regret that and I've told him that. It was even beneath me. I tried to justify my actions by saying I did it all for the safety of the students, but as Dumbledore later brought to my attention, I was jealous. I admit this to be true. I can be insanely jealous, and I hardly thought clearly that entire day, I was so consumed. Not my finest hour, I assure you." He spat.  
  
He stood in front of his desk and walked around it until he was towering over Georgie.  
  
"Sirius I believed to be truly guilty--everyone did. It's hard to swallow that someone the world believed to be a mass murderer for 10 years is suddenly reversed back to the status of a 'normal bloke' in the course of an evening. The law is the law, criminals get their comeuppance in the end and everything." He pointed out angrily to her, his eyes flashing and his face sallow.  
  
"Yes, but how could you not tell me? I don't give a rat's ass that it was you, so long as you're over it and everyone's okay with it now." She persisted. "It's awful enough, but Gawd, to hear it from someone else. I felt like such a damned fool. Anything else you haven't told me? Minerva helped you rob Gringotts or something?" She hissed. She was being absurd, they both knew it, but she was hurt and didn't want to let on, so instead she got angry.  
  
"No." His voice was like venom and he sneered down at her with a great displeasure.   
  
"You're infuriatingly like some damned police inspector--the law and rules, no matter if it's right or wrong." She shook her head and glared at him as meanly as she could. He'd probably just take that as a compliment.  
  
She stomped to the door.  
  
He was tired, so tired. He'd gotten hardly any sleep. "So what's done is done," He called out to her making her stop in her tracks, but she didn't turn to face him. "What can I do now about anything?" He spoke articulated slowly and emotionlessly. In a way he was making fun of her.  
  
"Tell me everything no matter what, and I won't kill you." She replied seriously, then walked out, slamming his classroom's heavy door behind her.  
  
He returned and sat at his desk, and once seated, he leaned back and wiped his face with his hands. She really upset him sometimes, and this was one of those times. Granted, he'd not helped matters by not telling her, but he'd seen no reason to bring it up. He had almost gotten more frustrated with her than he did with Potter--Harry or James.  
  
He knew from past rows that she'd come to him and apologize, then he'd apologize and they'd be fast friends again in no time at all, so it really didn't bother him. This was nothing major anyhow. He was glad of the predictability of it all.  
  
  
  
  
Later that evening she did exactly that, and he apologized and promised he'd tell her simply everything--be it good or bad. He really didn't believe the words himself and he doubted whether she bought them as well. And they journeyed off to the kitchens for 'make-up munchies' as Georgie declared them.  
  
"You are so very odd."  
  
  
  
  
Next day was the last day before the holiday break and Georgie bounced around the couches in the Lounge before breakfast to Severus' mild amusement and Sirius' annoyance, as she'd woken him up with her squealing and gleeful tittering. He'd headed back to his room, tightening his dressing robe with finality. Georgie stared after him, and Severus sat in his chair grinning. A minute later Sirius bolted from his room and grumbled something to Severus then took off out through the Common Room.  
  
"Ignore, him--he's just a stuffed up killjoy." Georgie eyed Severus sneakily. Coming from such a person as Snape, this was amazing indeed.  
  
"Thanks, Sugar Lips."  
  
"Anytime Snore Monster." He looked at his watch. "Get yourself up to breakfast already."  
  
"Okily dokily." And she leapt off the couch she was standing on and dashed out the door. So simplistic.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie pranced into the Great Hall and sat down beside Siobhan who was sitting by herself. "What's up, Tiger Lily?" She teased.  
  
"My life is over." She whined, as she ate some hot cereal.   
  
"Excellent. Why?"  
  
"Potions. And I haven't got a date for the dance. And I'm going home for Christmas for the first time in years and for once I really wanted to stay."  
  
"Well, I haven't got a date either. It's more fun that way. Date's suck--they drag you down. You have to be an independent woman living in the moment." Georgie reached across her friend's nose and snagged up a glass and filled it herself with juice from the pitcher.  
  
"Georgie, you're full of something...."  
  
Both girls chuckled together. "Yeah, probably." She admitted.  
  
Georgie leaned in, "Okay, I've got a question: what the devil's up with your sister?"  
  
Siobhan nodded understandingly. "If you're asking after her and the Professor, I'm not too sure. I think there's something there, but she won't confide in me and I can't force a confidence."  
  
"I can." Georgie said from between her teeth.  
  
"Anyway, from what I do know she'd been getting private tutoring lessons--She's always wanted to be an Auror you know. I don't know though. He's disgustingly handsome, and the sweetest lad, but I don't know, he's a tad old for her I'd reckon. And doesn't that say something about him?" She was pointing her toast at Georgie.  
  
"I mean, when a man can't get a gal his own age, you know? There's gotta be something wrong with him."  
  
"Nah, that's crap. He just hasn't found the right gal. People just don't settle for any old thing because they happen to be aging--or at least they shouldn't." Georgie smiled at her softly. "I mean, Snape's older too. Bad example: there's most definitely something wrong with Snape though. Did ya know they were in school together? And they're both still bachelors. Crazy small world."  
  
Siobhan seemed to be mulling something over, "Do you think you could--I mean if it wouldn't be that much trouble for you..." She huffed her cheeks out. "Can you ask Snape what he knows about Lupin? I mean just if he's an honest guy and doesn't have some deep dark secret."  
  
Georgie wondered at what exactly a deep-dark secret could consist of, but she figured Lupin's being a werewolf would probably fit into that category. Didn't everyone know of that? Niamh would no doubt know this, as she was working so extensively with the man now. But Georgie didn't know if she should be the one to remind Siobhan.   
  
"Uh, I'll ask Snape, sure." She nodded drinking from the glass. She'd at least tell Severus of the conversation. She figured she'd try and corner Remus and ask him what she ought to do, since it concerned him in the first place.  
  
She chatted with her friend and teased her fellow Slytherins mercilessly on the subject of whom was attending with whom and all that, every so often eyeing the staff table for Lupin.  
  
When he stood up to leave the room, Georgie did the same and rushed to meet him as he went out the great door. Thankfully there wasn't anyone around at that moment, just a few younger students walking away, their backs disappearing down the corridor. He heard her footsteps and he turned to face her.  
  
"Good Morning, Georgie. You look quite happy today." He smiled weakly at her. Damn he was a cutie--Niamh was the sly one.  
  
"I'm great, thank you. I was wondering if I could chat with you for just a second," She nodded her head in the direction of the antechamber.  
  
He nodded good-naturedly. She walked by his side making small talk, "How are you this morning?"  
  
He chuckled, "I'm wonderful. Thank you for asking."  
  
Once inside she started in to it. "Remus, you're my friend so I had to ask you something." His face fell at these words.  
  
"Oh for goodness sake, don't look so dreadful at it. Nothing's the matter!" She grinned.  
  
He relaxed as she continued, "Okay Niamh's sister Siobhan is curious about you--wants to know if you're good and honorable and all that. She even asked me to ask Severus to get information on you, since you two were in school together. Siobhan asked me if you had a 'deep, dark secret' and everything. She doesn't know you're a werewolf."  
  
Lupin's face drew a blank and he ran his hand through his hair. "Hm." He pondered out-loud.  
  
"I wouldn't worry too much about it: she's just protective of her sister." She grinned knowingly and Lupin looked up alarmed, then smiled at her expression.  
  
"She's a dear and good girl." He offered her, to which Georgie quickly agreed. "The best."  
  
"I'll have Niamh tell her today." His brow wrinkled in deep thought.  
  
"Fabulous, then I'm gonna take off for my first class...which is with you!" She suddenly recollected. "Nevermind then." She sniggered.  
  
He laughed at her absent-mindedness also.   
  
"So..." Georgie was feeling really brave. "Ya like her?" She teased.  
  
Remus gave her one look, but Georgie's silliness didn't lessen. "Listen, I'm not going to tell--you're my friends. Beside, I've known it for simply ages now."  
  
"Oh, stop being so melodramatic." He beamed. "She's wonderful, perfect, understanding--so smart too. She's got such spirit in her." His eyes glazed over.  
  
"And unlike Siobhan, she uses hers for good and not for evil and fun. So what are you to do?" Georgie put her hands lightly on her hips.  
  
"Nothing." He looked at her seriously. "She's a student. She's got another year, then she graduates. Then, we'll see what happens."  
  
"Ooh, I'm so happy!" She pretended to wail. "Somebody's gonna be all mushy, and lovey-dovey, so cute, so cute! I'm so excited and happy for you! For you both. I hope you guys will be happy for forever and ever..." She pranced around the room, sighing dreamily and clasping her hands in front of her.  
  
"Georgie, cut that out." He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Nah--can't, waay too happy. Damn, I wouldn't be this happy if I were in love."  
  
"Who said I was in love?" He asked, laughingly.  
  
"I did. You look it. Remember: I've got fabulous intuition. I just know it, so don't deny it." She giggled.  
  
"Georgie, you're horrid." He blushed deeply.  
  
"Yeah, I am." She relished it.  
  
"But, really, don't talk of it." He turned all seriousness. "I'm not allowing anything to happen until she graduates--by then she might not even like me."  
  
"No way of that. But, I promise I won't say a word, but it's just so wonderful really."  
  
"Your day will come." He beamed at her.  
  
"Fuck that." She howled with laughter.  
  
"Georgie!" he snapped sharply, appalled at her language. Georgie snorted and bellyached at his expression.  
  
She threw her head back, "La, I have no idea how I'm going to make it through this day--I'm too high on happiness and stuff."  
  
"Well compose yourself because we're both leaving for class this moment." And with that he took her elbow and led her out the door. Georgie stumbled over her feet the entire way, doubling over in fits of sighing and laughter and well-wishing, Remus all the while trying to shush her up and stop her from making a scene.  
  
  
  
That was a poor indication for the rest of the day. Herbology went swimmingly, and George had difficulties handling the poisonous Nettle-trap in between the laughter. Sprout herself kept meeting her eye and chuckling to herself. Halfway through the lesson she approached Georgie's side, "What's the matter dear? A Cheering charm?"   
  
"Nope, naturally happy. So very happy," she was giddy and sore by lunchtime, her side ached so from laughter. The old woman patted her shoulder and whispered, "Well, I'm very happy to see you so very happy." And walked over to the next student.   
  
Later on, Georgie's partner got a plant's poison on his hand, so she was dismissed early so she could escort him to the Hospital Wing. It gave her a chance to chat with Madam Pomfrey after she set the boy up with the anti-dote and cleaned up his hands.   
  
Georgie mentioned wand-surgery and Pomfrey told her what little she knew of he subject, but suggested Dumbledore sign a recommendation so she could take the crash-training course for Mediwizards. Usually, she explained that it was for those getting re-certified or whom every few years took the course to catch up on the latest techniques. But the older woman assured Georgie that the girl would be able to handle it. But that was all the women could tell her as Poppy had never taken the course herself, as obviously at Hogwarts there was no need.  
  
Georgie headed down to lunch a little disappointed. If she were in Pomfrey's place she'd have taken the class just to take it, to have the knowledge for herself. Besides, there are heaps of 'what-if' scenarios--and one never knew when it might come in handy. Georgie reflected that it was better to be over-prepared than under. Even though Severus would really never need it.  
  
Georgie passed into the hall and ambled up to the High Table. She didn't blame Pomfrey though. She was thorough and efficient and had never failed Hogwarts yet--and if that was the extent to her ambition, then she was doing perfectly. But Georgie was ambitious, and figured if one was to do anything, it's better to do it straight on and full out, rather than half-assedly.  
  
When Lupin entered the Great Hall, he purposely didn't meet her eye, but Georgie made it difficult for him by acting dramatically and making huge sweeping movements as she loudly extolled the virtues of being young, of knowing beautiful young people and falling for them. The staff that had already assembled smiled at her, and tried to think back to when they were as giddy and carefree.   
  
Lupin tried to shoot daggers at her with his eyes, but it didn't have the same effect as when Severus did it--how Severus could make blood run cold. She winked at him blatantly and, clutched her hand to her chest, gasping and sobbing, wiping pretend tears from her eyes.   
  
She grinned and started a conversation at her end of the table by asking Professor Binns if he'd ever been in love. Sinistra spat her drink back into her glass abruptly, and shook with laughter which the rest of the staff soon echoed. Binns, looked confused at the laughter, and didn't realize at all that it was meant for him, so he continued on about how once he admired a fair lady from afar, but nothing came of it. Those who were laughing were positively dying by that point. Hagrid was clutching her arm, as he pounded his fist repeatedly on the table. Georgie kept turning her eyes upward, and bringing the back of her hand up to her forehead in a dramatic gesture.   
  
Severus appeared behind her on the way to his seat. "Who are you supposed to be?"  
  
"Cowardly Lion." She replied cheekily.  
  
"Never heard of him."  
  
Georgie turned and glared at him "You've got to be kidding me!" He shrugged. "Holy crap, you need to get out more." She turned to her end of the table once more and joined in their conversation.  
  
Minerva looked at her sharply, 'What?' Georgie mouthed in return. 'Nothing' she mouthed back down the table and shook her head, smiling smugly to herself. Georgie guessed that she should not have said 'holy crap' or something along those lines.  
  
Georgie was excited that there would be a dance and all, but dreaded it the same. She'd sounded more secure than she actually felt when she'd told Siobhan that she didn't need a date. Not like she cared, she snuffed, as she walked by herself to her last class of the day. I mean, what the heck would I do with a little 16-year old date? At her 'advanced' age she felt there was a huge difference between those ages. But it still would be a pain. The entire school would be there this time and it was even more important to be going with someone this time around, the Slytherins had informed her. Georgie said she didn't care one bit, but she secretly did.  
  
The last class of the day and of the term was a joke. No one paid any attention whatsoever and the gossiping and giggling never ceased. They were all turned out of the classroom in disgust after only an hour.  
  
Georgie was surprised at this action as she flocked with the rest of the students back out the door, flowing in their joyful wake, but she didn't feel too upset by the early dismissal. But then on re-examination, she did feel slightly upset. That meant more hours with nothing to do but panic and primp and prepare and worry....  
  
Everyone broke up to his or her respective rooms from the Common Room, everyone looking either very excited or very nervous. Georgie felt a little of both. She pushed open the door to her study, not expecting anyone to be there and she wasn't disappointed. Sirius had taken off that morning on some urgent business for the ministry--"Or so he claims," Severus had narrowed his eyes at him after he'd explained why he'd gone. Georgie rolled her eyes at that. If it weren't the Ministry, it was a lady friend and what was so awful about that?  
  
Sirius had it hard enough having to live with a bunch of Slytherins when he himself had been a courageous and out-spoken Gryffindor. It went sorely against the grain, but he usually buttoned his mouth against saying anything destructive. Severus was his colleague and now a sort of friend, so he respected his House. Usually.  
  
Georgie took off for a bath first--that could waste a good hour, she grinned.  
  
When she returned from the bathroom she hurried into her room shivering. She ducked back outside just long enough to start a fire in the fireplace. She pouted as she threw open her wardrobe in disgust. She'd saved her Christmas dress robes for now she could get away with green and red and burgundy--she eyed the burgundy. It was a fab color and the cut was fashionably old-fashioned. She took out all three and laid them side-by-side on her bed after hastily throwing the covers back up. The green was maybe truer to her Slytherin roots and she loved the color green, but she figured everyone would be wearing those colors too. And red was too... she frowned, too red. Too bright, too cheer-ey. Georgie was cheerful enough without having to blind everyone with her robe. That was simple enough--burgundy it was. She picked up the other two and put them back away. What else did she have to do? Perhaps her hair. She didn't know what she was going to do so she got dressed into an old T-shirt and a pair of shorts and trotted off to Niamh's and Siobhan's room.   
  
They both were inside and greeted her warmly. Georgie started off by saying that she had no idea what to do with her hair and both girls approached her scrutinizing her from many different angles. Siobhan asked her what color her robes were going to be, "Burgundy." The other girl twinkled with delight. "It's a horribly old-fashioned style, you know--low square neckline, high waist...It's the required style at my old school. A bit boring." Georgie volunteered. Her stomach growled as the two girls led her to sit on a bed, and it was only four o'clock--the feast wouldn't start for another three hours.   
  
Niamh smiled sweetly, "Time to play dress up." Georgie sighed happily; she'd gone to the right place.  
  
  
  
  
An hour or two later--she hadn't the foggiest--Georgie thanked the twins and hugged them over and over for their help. They really were such dears Georgie accredited. She crossed the Common Room and went to her room. No sign of Severus, and she was kind of glad. She looked marvelous, she thought so even herself and she was her own toughest critic. She wanted to see his reaction. He probably wouldn't recognize her, she imagined with pleasure.  
  
Inside her room with her door shut, she undid her robes from the hanger and hooks. It was a complicated piece of work. It consisted of a dress that perfectly matched the over-robes. It was very distinguished looking she'd thought. She carefully slide into the dress, taking care not to mess her hair up. Oh dear, she was being prissy. After this repast she'd have to go outside and blast something with her wand just to get it out of her system, she thought pleasingly.   
  
The over-robe slid on with the same ease. She buttoned the front enclosures and made sure the back collar   
didn't get tucked in. She slipped into a pair of flats that matched in color--well almost, but hopefully no one would be staring at her feet. She thought momentarily that gloves would top off the outfit, but Georgie hadn't any but her heavy winter woolen ones. And on second thought that'd be too formal for this night. Too much like her past dances...   
  
At The Institute they'd had a Christmas Ball and it was painfully formal. The ladies all wore sweeping matching white gowns of silk--not dark and heavy robes at all. And the men wore robes of black with trousers beneath. The uniformity of it made it easier to prepare for than this, and she could blame her not looking good on the required ball-gown. But they had had to wear kid gloves to that dance. Not her favorite requisite.  
  
She heard Severus enter the study and a second later go to his room and shut the door. Her watch told that it was only a little after six. She dug out a bag of make-up and applied a little to her lips so that it didn't look like she were wearing any. She felt better knowing she was wearing it for some reason, but she wasn't bold enough to really do much with the art. She tied a ribbon around the base of her throat in lieu of a necklace--no more charmed jewelry for a long while. After repeating a Holding charm on her hair she checked herself out in the mirror. The twins had done her hair up into tons of thick and long ringlets that trailed down her back. Whenever she twisted her head, then snapped around like little whip-ends. Cool...  
  
She looked up in the direction of the door when she heard Severus enter the study once more as he shut his door. It was time to go....  
  
"Hiya, cutie." She winked at her mirror-self. Spinning around one last time, checking to make sure that nothing was showing that wasn't meant to be showing and all. She winked once more at herself as she turned from the mirror. Her stomach was turning somersaults as she stood with her hand on the doorknob, "I'm not gonna hurl," she reminded herself in a whisper. She said a little prayer and opened the door and stepped through.   
  
Severus was sitting on the back of the couch, apparently waiting for her. "I heard you in there so I thought I'd wait for you... His voice died on seeing her.  
  
Georgie's eyes widened and smiled in wonderful delight when she caught sight of him. "La, Severus Snape. You look...incredible." She starred unabated straight at him, her mouth hanging open. "Wow."  
  
He wore robes of deep emerald that shone like real precious stones. And his hair was somehow different, less greasy and less limp--though his skin was just as sallow and dull. The robes themselves were less like the ones he wore everyday. This one was more modern, with no high collar and the sleeves didn't end in bell-shapes. The top was even a bit tight--he's still too skinny, but still... "Wow." She repeated.  
  
He stared at her with equal fascination. She looked ravishing. The dress and robes she wore flattered her fuller figure perfectly. And her hair was beautiful, like a timeless art-print. And it was a simple-enough outfit. He took in how she moved in the robes and how the dress moved with her. It was like liquid, she seemed to glide across the room to him. Severus knew he should try and get himself collected and together, but it was hard to stop staring at her. It was crazy and he knew it, but...  
  
"Georgie. You look handsome." She grinned widely at this. He bowed low to her and she in turn curtsied to him. Then she laughed at the formality.  
  
She brought her wrist up to her eyes. "Time to go." She held up the watch for him to see. It was Mickey Mouse again, but this one was a delicate gold with a tiny band instead of the usual gaudy black. "Dress Mickey." She submitted and he chuckled.  
  
He took a deep breath and forced himself to focus. "Shall we?" She stuck her tongue out at him as he offered her his arm.  
  
"Really?" She asked unbelievingly, raising her eyebrows at him.  
  
"If you don't, I'll beat you into a bloody pulp."  
  
"Excellent," but she grabbed the proffered hand. "I don't think I've been on any other people's arms besides my father's and Dumbledore's." She confessed.  
  
"I don't think I've ever offered my arm to anyone except you and Orris." Georgie flinched at Orris' name, but Severus took no notice and he himself seemed fine with it.  
  
As they walked out into the Slytherin Common Room only a handful of students remained there--most would be waiting for the doors to be opened for the feast and if they were meeting dates from other houses they were trying to locate one another. The students who did remain in the room turned full on to stare at the pair who crossed the room and exited without a word.  
  
Severus actually turned red. "Oh my goodness! You're blushing, I don't think I've ever seen you blush before!" She remarked graciously.  
  
"You just feel lucky that no once could tell the difference between when you're blushing and when you are not." He kept his head down a little.  
  
"It's kinda cute. The Potions Master who strikes fear into the heart of all, blushes when a couple of students look at you in amazement. You brought this on yourself you know. You chose to show up looking splendid. What did you do?" She shook her head in amazement, as she looked him over once again.  
  
"Nothing." He scoffed. "Didn't put the stuff I usually put in my hair, slapped a little after-shave on...viola!" He said with bravado. "Dumbledore insists I make an effort after an occasion we had with a reporter on hand for a formal occasion."  
  
"You shave?"  
  
"No." He smiled at having been caught. "I never shave." She shook with laughter at that. "What did you do to yourself?" He asked of her now.  
  
"Nothing really. Took a bath, put a dress on, had the twins do up my hair...that's it." He looked her over again and nodded. "Glad you approve," she taunted tartly.  
  
He rolled his eyes at her. "We're both gorgeous, we both know it. Let's get in there so we can get all the attention."  
  
She brought her hand to her heart. "Ah, a man after my own heart." She gushed.  
  
He smiled broadly, holy crap, thought Georgie, is he going to beam like that in front of the entire world? He likes sort of a ridiculous creature like that. But her question was answered his face changed to one of indifference and stony silence, and she figured it was better than sneering at everyone. "You could try to smile." She urged.  
  
"No."  
  
"Gawd, can't take you anywhere." They had climbed up to the front entryway and stood a little bit behind the crowd pushing forward at the still closed doors.  
  
"I think I'm going to be sick." She doubled-over, feeling dizzy.  
  
"No you're not." He said gruffly. "It's just nerves." He looked up as the doors swung open and there was a mad rush streaming through. "I don't understand how The Crazy-Georgie could do anything in public: act mad, act like a fool--and not care a iota about what people thought of her. Now look, she's acting the scaredy cat just because she's got a dress on?!" He seemed to be asking the hall's ceiling these questions as if it were a student in one of his lectures.  
  
He snatched her hand up and off her knees. "We're going." He dragged her by the hand up to the door where he let go gently. And with that they swept into the room.  
  
Georgie saw with a great curiosity that there were a great many smaller tables seating 10 or 12 students at each one, instead of the regular long tables in the rows. Georgie looked for the twins and other people she knew as she walked by Severus' side up to the front of the room. But she gave up after a minute. It was impossible to recognize people when they were seated around the tables. Most of the eyes of people facing their direction were riveted on their persons, so she followed Severus' example by staring straight ahead and not showing that you cared.  
  
There were two smaller teacher's tables and Severus stopped and pointed towards one where there was still room for six more, so they could sit easily there. Georgie took the lead and grabbed up a seat and Severus sat at her elbow. Already seated were Minerva, Sprout, Lupin, Vector, Trewlaney and Dumbledore by Severus's side. Georgie's other side sat empty.  
  
Remus caught her eye and grinned widely at her pointedly, and she winked at him, knowing that by now everything was probably fixed up. He turned around and casually scanned the room trying to look disinterested. Georgie knew whom he was looking for, but just smiled to herself.  
  
Severus caught all this, "Stop winking at the bloody werewolf." He snarled.  
  
"Severus..." She leaned over to him. "Shut the bloody hell up." She looked up as a coughing fit suddenly racked Dumbledore, but his eyes twinkled at her, so he must've overheard her. She grinned back at him. This was going to be fun.  
  
At the last moment Hagrid sat down by Georgie's other side and Madam Pomfrey sat beyond him. Everyone at the table had to shift over a bit to make room for the additions.  
  
The Headmaster rose in his place and silence blossomed over the great room. He welcomed everyone and said something about how the feast and dance would take place...Georgie tuned him out. Georgie took that time to checkout the decorations. There were twelve decorated Christmas trees--She'd known about these because Hagrid had told her he was working on them. There were lights dancing about by the ceiling and Georgie guessed they were pixies or something. There were great ribbons and festoons dangling off the walls, and a soft instrumental music whispered throughout the air, haunting renditions of Christmas carols, sounding as it the wind himself were singing them. Dumbledore announced that they were about to eat, and with that sat down once more.  
  
"Food, glorious food..." George sang.  
  
"And you said you couldn't take me anywhere?" Severus smirked at her.  
  
Minerva complimented the both of them from clear across the table, and they both accepted the compliment with a high degree of embarrassment--especially from Severus who once again blushed. "Man, that's two so far. Wonders of wonders..."  
  
They then took turn looking at a short menu and calling out what they would like from it. Food appeared from out of thin air and then all began to dig in. There were roasted game birds with dressings and stuffings, potatoes, puddings and roasted vegetables. There were also breads and cheeses and fresh fruit. A sort of cranberry rhubarb crisp topped everything off, and Georgie noted her breath smelled like cinnamon after eating it. Also there was warm spiced wine--she guessed that this special treat was only at the Teacher's tables. Georgie turned and grinned at Severus when she spied that on the table, and he winked back at her when she pointed it out to him.  
  
The feast set her mind immediately at ease and she even ignored most of Severus' barbs and stings--for Dumbledore's sake, she told herself. It really was getting to be a great evening. There was fantastic conversation; the warm wine actually brought the faintest hint of color to Georgie's tan cheeks--which she zealously dismissed having ever happened. It was just great. She felt surrounded by friends whom she knew well, so she relaxed and was very warm and friendly.   
  
And if it weren't for Remus' constant looking over his shoulder, she'd almost have forgotten there were other tables with other people in the room--especially as most of the other people continued to stare up at their table for some or another reason.  
  
When Dumbledore rose again, the other teachers followed his movements automatically and so Georgie followed suit. They all backed a little bit off towards the wall and stood huddled against the wall. Minerva looked good too, she wasn't wearing a hat and she looked so much softer without it--very feminine. She walked very cat-like anyway, perhaps it was because she was an animagi, but she really looked the part. She wore a gray robe with shimmery stuff that flashed almost gold in the right light. It had little cap sleeves, and she looked like a princess. She had a bit of lace at her throat--a very dignified and chic princess, but Georgie loved it immensely.  
  
Lupin approached her as Dumbledore once again addressed the students to have them stand so he could push back the tables. Lupin asked if he'd dance with her first and she agreed happily. She would automatically suggest that he dance with Niamh afterwards. Perhaps Remus knew that she'd do this and perhaps he needed a little push--they all had nerves tonight, she guessed.   
  
The tables were soon cleared away and she took a hold of Remus arm and followed as the other couples led the way out to the floor. It was all Christmas carols tonight and she figured they just spiked the volume of that haunted carol music. It was waltzing music, and Georgie looked around her as she took Remus' hand and as his hand found her waist before all the students who probably hadn't the foggiest idea what to do in a waltz.  
  
She laughed as they began to spin around the floor. Remus complimented her on her robes and she returned the compliment truthfully. He wore a deep blue robe, like the color of the ocean around Aruba or someplace, very deep and warm looking. It brought out his eyes, which were curiously enough golden, if that was at all possible. They chatted and Remus hardly seemed to be listening to what she was saying, but she didn't blame him.   
  
Severus, swept by with Sprout in his arms, and Georgie couldn't help but laugh at the sight, making Remus turn and chuckle as well. He simply towered over her. Sprout was tiny anyway compared even to the students, but next to Professor Snape--it was David and Goliath.   
  
Georgie spotted Hagrid towering over everyone and thing else in the room and dancing with him was poor Minerva. She looked very cross and supposed that Hagrid wasn't all that great of a dancer.  
  
The song was soon over and Remus stopped in the middle of the floor. "Want to take a go again?" She knew he really didn't, but appreciated the kindness anyhow.  
  
"Uh, Um, listen Remus, I'm not used to all this dancing and stuff, so I'm going to sit this one out. But I'll find you a replacement." Pretending to search high and low, she finally spotted Niamh, sitting with her back to them both near the wall a scant few paces from them.   
  
"Niamh!" Georgie called. The girl turned around and seeing Lupin, grinned unashamedly. The girl rose and walked towards them. "I'm sitting this out, could you do me an enormous favor and dance with Professor Lupin for me?" The girl nodded, trying to look solemn, like duty required this of her, so she must do what she must. But she walked straight into his arms, and didn't give a second glance to Georgie.  
  
Georgie guffawed as soon as they were out of earshot. "As it should be," she muttered under her breath. "They'd better invite me to the wedding..."  
  
"Oh really...?" A voice behind her asked. She turned and looked up at Snape who had followed her gaze to the couple.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"You said a wedding." He tried to pry it out of her.  
  
"Yours and Draco Malfoy's wedding. Gawd, Snape!" She rolled his eyes.  
  
"I know what you were talking about."  
  
"Want applause? You probably do know, but you're not to speak of it. He's not even going to say anything until she's graduated. Everything's aboveboard." She turned from him. "How'd you know?"  
  
"I know everything. I am, after all, a sneaky character." He smirked. "Besides, you just said it out-loud."  
  
"I did?" Whoops. He scowled at her. "Oh."  
  
She continued watching Remus and Niamh dance. She wore a splendid robe of silky silver and her red hair glowed compared to it. And they looked so happy and content out there, waltzing in each others arms--eyes locked together, ignoring the rest of the world around them who apparently were ignoring them right back.  
  
"George you're practically drooling--cut it out." Severus woke her from her admiration.  
  
"So are we dancing?" She turned on Severus.  
  
"No." He paused, waiting for her to get vexed or panicky. He yawned, "Right now we're just standing here."  
  
He grabbed her arm and yanked her to the dance floor. He put his hand coldly on her waist and took her hand in his; Georgie stood up tall to regard him. With a nod of his head they began to move together around the room. "You can waltz." Snape admitted grudgingly. He really had expected her to bumble the dance up. But she moved easily and even gracefully.  
  
"You're surprised." She stated pleasantly. "It's in my blood. Polynesians dance as easily as a fish swims. And it's not like everyone imagines them to be--some thin-waisted, buxom beauty. No, those are for the tourists. Real dances are with larger women--as Polynesians value a fuller figure, who move light as the air, so beautiful, so stately. Very refined and affecting."  
  
He wondered why a simple 'yes' could never suffice with her. "But what of your upbringing?" Severus knew Georgie's parents weren't Polynesian.  
  
"My parents taught me to waltz," she smiled at recollections. "They extolled the virtues of it--My dad especially. When I was quite tiny still, I used to ballroom dance with him around our house--me standing on his toes, so he just swept me off with him wherever he led. Later at school we were formally taught the Viennese Waltz in preparation for our own Christmas Ball."  
  
"But what about yourself? Where'd you learn your moves?" She prompted.  
  
"My parents believed that I should of course be raised to a high command of the gentlemanly arts: As my family had raised their descendents for hundreds of years. Most of my knowledge has been for the most part unutilized. Dancing, proper dialogue and address all were taught to me."  
  
Georgie laughed, "Fan-fucking-tastic."  
  
Severus didn't miss a step nor a beat, "What the devil did you just say?"  
  
"Fantastic." He glared at her for that. "Well, I don't like everything being so stiff and proper--and even the words freaks me out. Had to break the tension."  
  
"So you're saying social situations--rather formal situations, frighten you?" Severus looked like he'd just struck gold. He'd tuck that away in his pocket for future use and abuse.  
  
She frowned, "Maybe."  
  
Severus was enjoying himself, but he continued to glare and scowl and sneer at all the students around him.  
  
After that dance, Georgie told Snape she'd return in a minute--she had to go to the bathroom.  
  
Severus corrected her, "You're powdering your nose, you meant."  
  
She called over her shoulder, "Nope. I don't even own powder...going potty."  
  
She was so vulgar, for one that as far as he could determine, came from a respectable family.  
  
Severus Snape was immediately pounced on by several of the Slytherin Seventh-year ladies. It was horrendously trying for him to be put in that position: dancing with the two-faced dolts. But he was carefully trained to not betray his emotions in society, and he did a fine job at masking his repulsion and anger at the twittering flirtations. He even managed a few meager compliments as well. Not welcome from likes such as those.   
  
To be sure, he wasn't often sought after, still he at least was proud, and prided himself that he would remain the same person regardless of how he dressed himself. Shallow fools! Why him? There wasn't any shortage of younger, more fetching males there that night. Perhaps for the novelty of it: they'll have 'I Danced with Snape' badges up by the next morning...  
  
He took a short spin around the floor with Minerva, which was less trying than the preceding had been. In fact, he enjoyed it. Her fine mind made for pleasant, ambivalent conversation.  
  
Severus went outside for some air. The night air was cold and crisp, and when he took a sharp intake of breath, the coolness saturated his lungs. He really did enjoy being cold. It was fitting somehow. He stood just outside the doors and watched as couples and small groups wandered off onto the dark grounds. He scowled at these students. He turned to see that Georgie had been snatched up for the next dance by Hagrid who had probably lay in waiting for her to return, and he watched as she gathered the hem of her skirts in her hand and danced a fair distance apart from the waltzing Hagrid. He watched the enormous man trod on her foot once, then he laughed at her misfortune and stepped off into the gardens.  
  
He wandered among the hedges beneath the tall windows of the Great Hall.   
  
"10 points from Ravenclaw--and 10 more for you too, Mr. Thomas." As two younger students dashed from behind the bushes they were hiding in.  
  
He strode purposefully around, his ears pricking up whenever he heard breathing or whispering.  
  
"You may sit in the courtyard or the upper field, but not in the dark and out of bounds.... That's 20 points from Gryffindor." He grinned maliciously. He did enjoy it so. His robes picked up in the wind and he looked up to the sky, where the dark, low clouds obscured the moon. It was almost black out--a night better fitting for Halloween charades, than cozy Christmas thoughts.  
  
"20 more points from Ravenclaw--and Miss Morales, I'm deeply disappointed in you." She'd probably cry herself to sleep on her silken pillow over the embarrassment, he shrugged. That seventh year girl was too self-conscious for her own good.  
  
He turned a corner and didn't encounter any other students. But on entering a straightaway he nearly tripped on a pair of legs. "What the devil is the matter with you Ravenclaws tonight!" He nearly shrieked. "That's 20 more points from your house."  
  
A few minutes later he encountered a pair of Slytherins and here Professor Snape chewed them out for such behavior and only docked them 5 points apiece. He justified it by saying that they were actually trustworthy Slytherins and his lecture had probably frightened them out of doing anything so foolish again.  
  
And to prove that he wasn't just being heinously biased, the next pair he met were Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy whom he docked 15 points apiece as 'Lucius would be so very disappointed in them.'  
They were most decidedly not trustworthy.  
  
He plodded on. He spied a couple stealthily making their way to just the edge of the Forbidden Forest and stood in the shadows of the trees in a tight embrace. Severus was off in a second, but he halted his progress several hundred paces off. He recognized the outline and bearing of the taller of the individuals: It was Remus Lupin. That meant the other individual must be Miss Niamh Malone, if he wasn't very well mistaken. He was at a loss on how to act. He knew he would normally rush in and break them up in as public a way as possible, but he couldn't embarrass a colleague. Well, he could, be scruples wouldn't allow it this time. He recalled he'd already done that to Remus Lupin. He frowned and breathed deeply out. They hadn't spotted him yet, and he could pretend to not have recognized both partners from such a far-off distance.  
  
Really, Remus deserved this, Severus argued with his sense of better judgment. He was fool enough to get involved with a student--and display this on the school grounds. Georgie was misled perhaps on the details. Instead he called out loudly, making the couple jump apart abruptly. "Miss Malone, I'm deeply disappointed in you. That's 35 points from Slytherin. See that this doesn't happen again." He barked then walked away. He didn't want to deal with them when they came out to the light.   
  
That was one of the steepest penalties he'd given to his own house that evening, and he grimaced at the necessity. Yes, he was upset over it. Niamh would probably wonder at the larger amount of points, but wouldn't dare question the call. Severus knew that in a way he was punishing Lupin by taking away those points in a roundabout way, and Severus really didn't care.  
  
Severus took out his wand and set fire to several ivy bushes as he passed by them. He was falling out of temper very quickly. He stopped and blasted the bottom most limb of a scrawny tree near the walkway. He still did have amazing aim; he nodded as the smoldering wood creaked and fell to the ground still burning. He bent down to cast a freezing charm on a potted plant and then alternating between freezing and blasting he continued his hunt for students. Two more Gryffindors, then a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff couple later--Severus was sure the Slytherin girl had bullied the Hufflepuff boy into it; he turned to the path leading back up to the school.  
  
He remembered that it was only just last year that he'd walked with Igor Karkaroff this way. Blasting apart rosebushes. It seemed so long ago, but these days a week felt like an eternity. He'd rejoined Voldemort's forces with a greater devotion apparently, gotten used to the tortures--numbed to them really, all over again.   
  
He blasted an ivy vine deftly when he suddenly needed to jump out of the way, wand in hand, as a fireball flew narrowly past him and struck a bush beside him. He stepped forward alertly and Georgie stepped out of the shadows unsmilingly. He still had his wand up and pointed it down at her as she walked straight into it. She walked jauntily, sort of weaving and swaying her hips more than normally. When she stopped with the wand point hitting her in the neck, she sort of posed in front of it, one hand on her hip and the other trailing down the side of her neck.  
  
"Georgie, what in the world do you think you're doing? You could have missed." He demanded.  
  
She was very close and reached a hand up to Severus' shoulder and stroked his arm in a very uncharacteristic way. He leered at her.  
  
"If I had wanted to hit you, I would have." She said silkily, and Severus' hair rose on the back of his neck. "Besides... I'm not Georgie." She whispered with a hiss. And with that she ducked behind him and swept his legs to the ground. Severus Snape just stood looking up at her with a look of surprise and horror. She laughed shrilly at his face as she stepped on his back firmly keeping him place, sprawled out on the ground. She bent to pick up his fallen wand, aiming her own at his recumbent form. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen Minds Clearing

Chapter Seventeen--Minds Clearing  
  
  
  
She bent down until her face was right behind Severus' head and purred, "Just thought I'd give you a scare, Sugar Lips." And she stood up on top of his back with her full weight, then vaulted off in the direction of the Great Hall, cackling to her self raucously.   
  
He jumped to his feet and dusted off his robes. Damn it, Georgie. He was going to have a heart attack if she pulled something like that everyday--he wasn't the spry youth he used to be. Hell, even as a youth he was never the youth he should have been. He pursued after her at nearly a run, but didn't catch up until they were both inside the Great Hall once again.   
  
She didn't turn around from her gazing at the dancing couples on the dance floor when Snape approached. She rather felt his presence that saw it. "Just thought I'd keep you on your toes." She smirked.  
  
"As much as I'd love to thank you for that," He said sardonically. "I won't. I'm afraid Voldemort does enough of that without your help." He was a bit riled that she'd managed to get him to the ground before he could form a clear thought on how to defend himself or get out if the situation. To say he'd been caught completely unawares was an understatement.  
  
"Practice makes perfect," she threw over her shoulder.  
  
"No, perfect practice makes perfect." That was far from how he'd hoped to handle that type of situation.  
  
"Snape? Be quiet." She reached back and grabbed his hand away from it's resting place in his crossed arms across his chest. She led him to the center of the floor. Severus ensnared her hand and found her waist, she squinted at him carefully. He looked too professional, always in control of his faculties, that Severus Snape, Georgie bit her lip to keep from laughing at him outright. You'd think he'd enjoy himself a bit more. But perhaps burning bushes and taking points from other houses was his idea of fun--she wouldn't put it past him.  
  
"Aren't you having any fun?" She urged him.  
  
"Absolutely not," he replied with a vacant expression.  
  
"Geesh, stop trying to show it so hard…damn, blinded by the flash of your white teeth."  
  
He didn't react. She danced with him in silence, feeling a little pained by the stiffness.   
  
He led them around the floor with barely a thought in her direction. His mind reeled as to why he'd been so blasted off guard. Sure, it all came to naught, but still…what if? In all honestly it could have been some stranger using a Polyjuice potion to get to him. He knew there wasn't a reason to base his suspicions that they'd even go after him. To Voldemort, Severus Snape was assumed to be one of the most loyal Death Eaters, and if it weren't for his unfortunate position at Hogwarts, he'd probably have been made privy to even more inside information.   
  
He looked at Georgie; she coughed to herself and bit her lip, looking over his shoulder absently. She appeared sad or distressed, something to that tune, he noted. He could never predict her moods, even with a Crystal Ball…  
  
He looked down at her. "You really do look quite fine tonight." Her head snapped up to his direction as soon as he opened his mouth. She smiled with meek pleasure. It must've taken quite a bit of….something to allow him to say that to her aloud. Maybe his manners were improving. Dare she hope it? No, better not.  
  
"That's kind of you to say it. Thank you. You yourself look quite dashing. Truly, many a young heart will be broken tonight because of the vision you've made here." He also smiled briefly at this, and her smile leapt up on his appearing. He smiled despite the fact that he detested flattery in all of it's many forms.  
  
"Do you just say that because it's considered the proper line of decorum to return a compliment?"  
  
She rolled her eyes, and twittered, "Do you really think that I would do anything in the name of 'proper decorum'?"  
  
He cocked his head to the side considering, then winked and shook his head.  
  
"Na Kamogelas." She laughed   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Snape's smiled vanished and a blank expression replaced it--he was always so distrustful, probably thought she was laughing at him.  
  
"Keep smiling." She laughed, then scowled at him for emphasis.  
  
The song ended and Severus spun her around with a final flourish. "I'm so hyper!" Georgie yelped. She shot up and down with her fists clenched at her side. "Ahhhh!" Severus just stood in front of her looking at her as if she'd gone mad as she bounded about hopping like a rabid rabbit.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie headed for one of the tables sitting against the far wall. She was quite warm and felt flushed--but whether it showed or not, she hadn't a clue. The Haunting Christmas Carols made an impression on her and she asked Severus if he know what music it was. He replied that he did and he'd find her a copy of it the next day if she liked of it.  
  
Severus looked over her shoulder and his brows turned dark and his scowl deepened and Georgie, alarmed, looked after his gaze. She almost whacked him out of exasperation: It was only Niamh and Remus grinning and heading their way.  
  
"Sit down over here!" Georgie called to them, and Severus swatted her knee. "What?" She said, demanding angrily. He just nodded and stayed silent.  
  
They both sat down and they fell into an easy and light conversation about what a lovely dance it was and how fine the decorations were, etc. Severus looked ready to murder them both and Georgie was all wonderment as to why.  
  
"Where's Siobhan?" Georgie tried to sound affable.  
  
"Out snoggin' with a Gryffindor boy," Niamh volunteered chuckling. They all laughed except Severus who looked alarmed.  
  
"Oh lovely, now he's going to go out and penalize them," Georgie knocked him in the arm jovially, but so that no one else saw the action.  
  
"I will do no such thing." He growled. He was coming very close to losing what restraint he was displaying, with the teasing and the blatant parading of such a deviant relationship.  
  
The group chatted openly for several more minutes until Georgie caught Niamh's eye and pointed with her eyes to her watch wrist and then tossed her head in the direction of the dance floor. Niamh nodded and smile spread across her pale face. There was only a few more minutes left to the dance, so Niamh's tugged at Remus' sleeve and the both stood and excused themselves.  
  
Georgie turned on Severus, "What the devil is your problem? They were perfectly polite and not at all indecent and you stared lecherously at them both!" She accused.  
  
"I have my own reasons." He said.  
  
"Yeah, I'd love to hear them after this," Georgie simpered, crossing her arms across her chest.  
  
"And you will, but after we dance." He stood and held his hand out to Georgie, she didn't accept it right away, but then reluctantly she reached out her own hand to take hold of his. "I'd rather not dance with you at all. I'm sure I can't afford to be seen too much in your presence here." She sneered and hissed at him.  
  
She didn't smile and of course neither did he as he dragged her through the crowds at the edge of the dance-floor. Minerva looked up from her chatting with Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey to stare at the two. She believed them both to look either very haughty or else very angry--she wasn't sure which. Neither would be good though.  
  
Professor Sprout stopped speaking mid-sentence and followed the other woman's gaze carefully. Pomfrey's eyes watered and strained, Perhaps the day's getting to me, she lamented, I don't see what she's staring so hard at.  
  
Severus almost brutally threw his partner around into his hands; He glared maliciously at her. This was ridiculous: he didn't need to tell anyone anything. He knew of course that he'd probably do it--he never went back on his word, hasty though it was. But the whole situation did not sit well with him. He was not used to telling anyone simply everything, so-called soul mates probably didn't tell each other everything. And in his work it was dangerous to know too much about someone else.   
  
Not that he had had much to worry about for awhile. Voldemort was having his Inner Circle work on some sort of blood curse--Severus didn't know what it was about, but he knew he probably would not be summoned for at least another month. More Transfiguration than Potions work. Maybe even two months or more. He would have smiled, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Yet he was inwardly relieved. But not so much that he'd let his guard down. Voldemort was notorious for his surprises. One never quite knew where exactly one stood with the Death Eaters.  
  
He focused on his partner who did not seem to be enjoying herself, but he didn't feel up to the effort to bring her out of her gloom. She was too sensitive, and the sooner she got that out of her system the better. She was looking at him, as if she wanted to claw his eyes off. Severus was actually quite amused at that, and managed to smirk at her purposefully and set her anger in at an even deeper level.  
  
When the dance was finished, neither noticed that nearly every pair of eyes in the room was on the disdainful pair. Though they'd managed to think ill of each other throughout the entire last song, they also managed to look fiery and livid as well, exciting quite a few onlookers' stares. They danced well enough on both sides that their waltzing with such an attitude resembled more of a combative tango. Many students thought Georgie was going to hit him when he started his indolent smirking.  
  
They stood a minute before getting off the floor, and only when Georgie turned her back on him and strode from where he stood did Severus oblige her by following. Once outside in the garden again and well out of earshot of everyone else, Georgie turned on Severus. She yelled at him for being such an impudent asshole and would he please stop being so secretive and sneaky. Why the hell couldn't he just trust her, no questions asked, trust his friends, and who the hell was he to pass judgements on others and decide their fates….?  
  
Severus bellowed coldly that she was being so exasperatingly female, with all the trust and sensitivity issues, and of course he trusted her and his friends--he never said he didn't. But he wanted his life to at least resemble the one he'd always led and that included keeping some things to himself. Not just for everyone's safety, but for his own sanity.  
  
"For Merlin's sake, Snape!" She screeched, clamping her eyes shut. "I don't want to flipping know when you go to the toilet. I want to know the important stuff, the life or death stuff, likes, dislike, reasons. Why you bloody hate my friend--what the hell gives you rights to that? I want to know what you're thinking and why, I want to be useful to you as a friend, you stupid git. I hate having to beat everything out of you all the time."  
  
"Perhaps I'm having my reasons for not telling you everything. Have you ever thought how difficult it is to live with someone like you?" He snarled. "After a comfortable silence and solitude of 15 years, in the course of a few months you flip my world upside down. I'm not entirely happy with that, as you can well guess. I have to tell you things, I have to play nice, I have to be social, I have to do everything so you can play miracle worker and make me human again! You're much worse than Dumbledore ever was."  
  
"As if I'm really doing everything here to get your back up--stop thinking about yourself all the time! You self-centered tosser. Difficult for you…" She virtually screamed.  
  
"Then why do you do it?" He spat. "Why waste the effort?"  
  
Before they could continue their tête-à-tête, Siobhan and a boy literally crawled out from a behind a hedge.  
  
"Sorry Sir," Siobhan apologized sheepishly as she dragged the boy behind her by the hand. The boy just stared wide-mouthed at Snape and Georgie as he was pulled away.  
  
Georgie threw up her hands and stormed away into the garden. Severus didn't follow her and instead went back into the building.  
  
  
  
  
Several hours later Georgie was circling the lake in the cold and the moonlight wondering what'd gone wrong. She still didn't have the foggiest and regretted her words to Severus. Why did she always do that? Whenever her blood boiled, she always spoke without thinking. She knew Severus probably didn't mean it--well at least most of it. She bit her lip. She'd been clear around the lake perhaps five times, and the views weren't getting any better by the repetition. "I'm such a fuckwit."  
  
She stopped on the Hogwarts' side of the lake and found a drier piece of grass by the shore. She was still wearing her dress-robes and didn't want to soil them, but she wasn't caring. She was tired and cold and to top it all off she was stubborn. She didn't want to meet Severus in the lounge and get fired back up. She would wait until it was quite late when she when she would try and sneak back in. "He's such a fuckwit."  
  
She knew she was being ridiculous, but well, she didn't care. She'd considered why over an hour ago and realized that it wasn't pride, but definitely stubbornness speaking for her actions. She gathered her skirts into clumps in her fists and lay down. It was actually perfectly dry, just freezing. At least it wasn't snowing, she remembered thankfully. It had been very dry and mild since sometime the night before.  
  
She was tired, so tired. She yawned, then coughed. Damn cold air. She lay back unthinkingly on the grass and crossed her arms about herself trying to conserve body heat. When she breathed out, her breath rose in white swirls upwards and disappeared.   
  
The sky was a deep blue--almost black. For the longest time it had been a mixture of obsidian and the dingy gray that the low fog and storms afforded. But now, it was so clear and high. There were faint stars--nothing to jump up and down about though, she scoffed. But it all made for a very tranquil sight. And if it weren't for the cold or the gusts of wind, Georgie would have smiled at it all.  
  
Georgie opened her eyes widely taking everything in--she only squinted her eyes up when it was too sunny or her focus was off, or just because she laughed. But out here, her eyes strained to see everything at once. It was like she was under a giant upside-down black bowl. She wondered if she could feel the earth with all it's forces tug beneath her insignificant body. She reckoned she almost could.  
  
She sighed and closed her eyes. She didn't want to feel good and humble and amazed and all of that. She felt bad, really, she told herself. She couldn't quite place the feeling or describe it. It felt a little like when an opportunity was missed. Like when you had a fantastic idea or something, borne of your own creativity and ingenuity. It was your brainchild. But for whatever reason you keep it to yourself. Then one day you wake up and find that someone else had beaten you to it's broadcast. You're filled with thoughts of should've, would've, could've. You feel angrier with yourself, though you are angry with the other person regardless of the fact that you know they aren't to blame. You feel as if you enormously screwed up and you missed the opportunity. Should've…  
  
She couldn't quite understand why this feeling, or it's funny explanation leapt to the forefront of her mind, but she still dwelled on the thought anyway. She couldn't think of anything she'd missed so to say, no matter how hard she racked her brain.  
  
She shivered and coughed. Her dress was probably going to have dirt all up the back of it, but she couldn't be bothered to move. At least, she thought with a wry smile, it's the start of break tomorrow. I can sleep in at last.  
  
She lay in silence, and tried not to think too much, she couldn't fix things, so it was no use crying over it. She heard the light footfalls of someone approaching her position on the grass. It paused near her head. It probably wanted her to open her eyes, to sit up and address them, she mused, but she wouldn't indulge them--as it was almost definitely Severus. Can't be bothered. After a minute of just standing there the person made very little noise as they sat down, and eventually lie back themselves.   
  
Georgie knew Severus' way, his walk, his breathing even--it was shallow and short. And everything he did was silent. Sure it could've been some Death Eater or horrible monster--she didn't know, as her eyes were clamped shut.   
  
He spoke, and she realized his head was a few inches from her own. "What if I were a Death Eater?" He asked slippery.  
  
"I'd be dead by now, if you were." She said lowly. "Besides, aren't you?"  
  
He didn't reply and her eyes stayed shut. He knew she wasn't sleeping out here when he'd first approached her. He just knew--sixth sense or intuition. He'd spent his evening storming about the study, muttering to himself and slamming doors. She was so infuriating--all the time. Damnable fool--such a child still. Minerva had stopped by in her tartan dressing robe and her hair up in papers to chat and drink tea with him. She had stayed for well over an hour; he had gathered that perhaps the older lady was worried for the younger witch, as she kept looking at the door anxiously. And at that moment Severus definitely was jealous.  
  
Minerva was a good and simple woman, one of the best witches in the country, perhaps even beyond that. It was funny for him to imagine this, and to see her sitting there in her shabby old robe, sipping tea and prattling on about the dance and how students were so singular these days. He admired and esteemed her greatly; she was loyal and good. He even envied her occasional instances of mercy towards erring students, which bewildered and amazed him. And as often angered him. But he never questioned her judgement. Though he would never allow himself to relent.  
  
As soon as the witch excused herself for the night, Severus felt a bit more at ease. He tried to recall the things that were said, and couldn't. He didn't even know what had started it all off. He waited for Georgie to return for several minutes, but his patience got the better of him. He was on his feet and out the door before very long.  
  
He knew rather than guessed that she would be still outside--she was obstinate to a fault like that. Perhaps she would try and make him feel guilty or responsible for that. But it would make it easier to find her. He could see well enough in the dark, and there weren't many places she could hide. And he knew she wasn't fool enough to take on the Forbidden Forest--well at least not at night, by herself, and in a dress.  
  
He almost walked right by her--she camouflaged so well in with the darkness and the grass, and she didn't move or make a sound. He'd approached her and suspected her to not be sleeping, but he was disturbed at her lack of caution as to whom her visitor might be.  
  
  
She coughed and stirred him back into the present. "It's cold out here, Miss Flaing, you really should get back indoors."  
  
She ignored him.  
  
"You're coughing." He sat up abruptly and scrutinized her face carefully. "Do you want to talk about this? Is that it?" He asked shortly in a huff.  
  
Her eyes flew open, and they met his. She was totally devoid of emotion or expression; in fact she looked almost sad. She didn't utter a syllable, but at least he knew she was listening.  
  
"I apologize for what happened, I don't know why we even got started on that path. We're both two fools, that's all I can tell." Her eyes almost smiled at this. "Come, we're friends."   
  
"Yes, friends." She sat up on her elbow so she was facing him. "….I hate myself." She said evenly.  
  
He frowned at that. "Why ever would you?" He wasn't even tempted to humiliate her for once.  
  
"I fly so out of control when I get riled up. I say things I don't mean, I sink low and make cheap shots." She looked at the ground and twisted a blade of grass between her fingers. "I don't know why I act that way, and I hate myself for it."  
  
"I am the same way--everyone is the same way. It's what makes us human. You've got fire to you, and that's good. There's nothing wrong with anything that makes you human. If it bothers you so, work on it. Otherwise, be like the rest of us and just hope you'll be forgiven for it all later on." He spoke as mildly as he could. "Deal with it."  
  
"I know all this," She looked him in the eye. "But I still hate when it happens."   
  
He nodded solemnly at her and looked down at the lake. She lay back down on the ground, putting her hands behind her head and biting her lip.  
  
"Do you ever feel so much, that it all frightens you?" She asked him.  
  
"All the time." He turned to the twinkling void above their heads. "I hide that all away though. Different…feelings than you are talking about though."  
  
"Of course." Georgie said, more as a simple statement than as anything else. He was just as he was.  
  
They both searched the skies for a few minutes more, Georgie shivered slightly in the wind every few minutes. "Severus, I know you'd loathe to hear this, but sometimes I feel sorry for you."  
  
"You are right--I do loathe to hear that." He replied matter-of-factly, though not angrily. "Why?" He knew why, but wished to hear it from her all the same.  
  
"Lots of reasons," She sighed. "You must keep this appearance of coldness and indifference up, while your toughest critic is yourself."  
  
He could have laughed at her simplicity. No, he'd braced himself for words worse than that. "I don't want your pity, Georgie."  
  
"I know that, so you won't get it. I couldn't be you, you know, I haven't whatever it is that gets you through the day. I just worry about you sometimes…." She didn't elaborate, though there was more she wanted to say. Severus didn't need someone pointing out his faults at every step.  
  
He jumped to his feet suddenly, and Georgie followed him with her eyes. "Oh, get up, it's cold out here." He held out his hand and she accepted it and was lifted to her feet. She actually grinned at Severus' impatience. He dusted off his robes, for a mere second. She stood a moment and dusted off her back and her bum lightly, then brushed smooth her skirts. She looked to him with a look of expectancy when she saw him watching her. "Ready?" She asked smiling once more.  
  
He offered her his arm, and she groaned. She accepted his arm, then becoming curious, halted them both. She reached up and straighten his collar, to his evident dislike. "You really do look fab." She spoke to his neck. "Wish I had a camera."  
  
He smiled easily at that and countered, "And you still look quite handsome--despite the dirt. And the unrelenting mouth." She grinned and tried to kick him in the shins, but he had already restarted his walking and she was up and dragged behind him, chuckling the whole way back.  
  
  
  
  
The next morning Georgie invited Severus to a movie in Muggle London. She wasn't too surprised when he turned down the offer, but she still abused him heavily about how he 'never went out to have any fun whatsoever.'  
  
She returned later than afternoon, threw off her black wool coat and collapsed by the fire. Severus set down his book, he could tell she was brimming to talk. "Well?"  
  
Her eyes shone and she had a sappy grin plastered across her face. "It was wonderful," and she hugged herself. Severus rolled his eyes. She went on, "It was this multi-feature sort of thing: all Emma Thompson flicks. Well, actually the art house theatre was showing an entire day of her films, but I could only stay for the three." She sighed contentedly. "You of course don't have the foggiest who she is do you?" She poked fun lightly.  
  
"Not the foggiest." He agreed in slightly bored tones.  
  
"She's this fab actress, horribly emotional, gets caught up in the characters and all…the best. I saw The Winter Guest, Sense and Sensibility and Howard's End." Her eyes took on the far-off look of remembering.  
  
"I know the book Sense and Sensibility--you own it. Leave it sitting about." He sneered. "And I know of Howard's End by reputation. Horribly pointless romances," He growled. "You must admit no one is like that, nor ever was. Minerva's fond of that one as well. I've had my fill of it, thank-you-very-much."  
  
"I'm calling everyone 'dearest' from now on. I think it's such a delightfully friendly word."  
  
"Not exactly fitting for Hagrid. And certainly not for me," He eyed her, trying to frighten some sense into her.  
  
"Whatever you say, Dearest," and she leapt up from the couch and smashed through her door.   
  
Severus picked up his book, slightly annoyed. He did not like 'dearest'. He could handle Sugar Lips and Snore-Monster, because that was all a joke--it couldn't possibly be true. And because they weren't common names that spoke of such familiarity, such closeness…he just wasn't comfortable with it. No one had ever called him that and he wasn't about to allow his friend start now.  
  
She returned with letters in her hand and headed for the door, "I'm off to the owlery, see you later dearest."  
  
"Georgie, if you continue calling me that, I'll curse you." He spoke with all earnestness.   
  
"Brilliant!" She teased as she swept out the door.  
  
  
  
  
She stayed a few minutes up with the owls, petting them and speaking low words to them. Her family had an owl--Brutus--and he was the stupidest thing to ever have wings. But these birds were clever, and seemed to sense her mood and listen to her voice coo at them. She loved birds and always had secretly wanted a parrot or some sort of beast that she could teach to talk. She finally selected a hefty looking owl to carry the letters to her family and also to her friends in Poland. She turned and climbed back down the twisting stairs, bumping into two other students trying to fight their way up.  
  
  
  
  
The first few days of the holidays went slowly and quietly. Georgie woke up at around noontime and never went to sleep until almost dawn. "And you accused me of being a vampire?!" Severus had pointed out on afternoon when she had stumbled out of her room at nearly three in the afternoon. But it was soon plenty evident that the entire group who'd chosen to remain behind was acting and moving in slow motion. There were only perhaps 35 people in the entire building and maybe half of this was made up of the staff.  
  
Minerva wore her hair looser almost daily--Georgie guessed that she just couldn't be bothered with the effort to look so prim every day. And Lupin and Sirius Black took off for a week-long trip to the north country, Professor Binns shook his head warning one and all that there was likely to be nasty weather there. The two men shook their heads and left all the same.  
  
  
  
One evening Georgie had been sitting in Hagrid's cabin--the rain once again gracing them with it's appearance, when there was a knock at his door. Hagrid gave a curious look and was at the door in a flash. He threw it open and there stood three dripping and shivering students. "Oh!" Georgie implored when Hagrid greeted them on his doorstep and immediately hadn't invited them in. They were getting wetter by the second. Hagrid took the cue and herded them into his cozy cabin.  
  
Georgie knew who the students were: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. They all burst in excitedly and tossed their things before the fire, all of them trying to speak at the same time. Hermione however noticed the other girl sitting in the armchair and smiling to herself at the scene her friends and her were making--she must be more clever than the companions. Hermione elbowed Harry and he stopped speaking and turned to stare at Georgie silently. Ron didn't get the message apparently as he continued to prattle on "…Then, we went up behind Draco and Millicent and cast this nifty charm on them that made it so that they couldn't let go of on another's hands…." He noted the silence of the room and looked to his friends, then followed their gaze to the other student, the intruder.  
  
Hagrid took control, "Harry, Ron and Hermione--ya know Georgie of course. We've been sittin' 'ere talkin' and drinkin' some tea. Would you like some?" Hermione assented that they would and they all pulled up chairs before the fire--well away from Georgie. Georgie hadn't been smiling, but if she had it would have disappeared by this point.  
  
Hagrid handed out the steaming mugs and sat himself down in his mammoth armchair, questioning Ron about what exactly had 'the big pale-faced idiot' had said to Hermione earlier that day to get them all so worked up. But Ron shrugged off the question and tried to look out the window at the storm. It was a tense room and it was more than obvious that the students didn't trust Georgie's presence. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she sat back in her chair and tried to keep herself from glowering at the students.  
  
Hagrid whipped his head towards the three then back to Georgie, it was easy to read his thoughts as he analyzed the expressions of his guests. So easy to read her friend…  
  
"Listen, Georgie's a good girl, she wouldn't go tell anyone anything at all. You can trust 'er like you trust me, alrigh'?" This speech seemed to make little difference and the conversation inched on in such a guarded and suspicious manner, that it wasn't before very few minutes that Georgie rose to her feet, feeling rather fed up.  
  
"Listen, Hagrid, I've had a lovely time but there's something I have to do, so I'll see you at dinner or something." And she marched from the cabin in as dignified a manner as she could before he could try and stop her.  
  
She pulled her hood up to her head--she hated her hood---it made visibility ridiculous for her as she crossed the soggy grounds, trying to keep her feet beneath her. She heaved heavy breaths, trying to calm herself, though on reflection she wasn't really all that miffed. I mean, what did she expect? Open armed embraces? No, but a little civility would've been nice. Still she didn't blame them, they were students and younger and she might've acted the same way had she been in their shoes. She'd heard stories about them from Hagrid… It sucks having to prove oneself everywhere one went all the same, and being a Slytherin made this even more necessary, it seemed. She wouldn't tell Severus this as he'd probably just take the 'I told you so' stance, and she didn't want to hear him gloat over anything. Especially Harry Potter.  
  
"I suppose they don't think Slytherins are trustworthy--they're not even giving me the chance to screw up." She spoke bitterly to herself in the wind. She thought to herself, no blood lost--their loss really, but her heart wasn't into the conviction. Later Hagrid would speak lowly aside to her at dinner and explain everything Georgie had already deduced and she would smile, and wave it all aside saying it was no big deal and all that, but she wouldn't forget nonetheless.   
  
She wanted Lupin to come back so she could bug him and whine to him and everything. It seemed that all they ever did these days were bemoan their own sorrows to each other--Lupin about his Niamh and Georgie about everything that had pissed her off that day.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie came home the first weekend from a day shopping, though Severus' hadn't the foggiest where exactly she'd gone off. When she returned, she breezed in full of energy and sending droplets of melted snow in every direction, as she riffled through her parcels in front of Severus who was summoned out to the lounge. He had been at his desk writing an important letter and he was almost finished so he was a little irked at her jaunty knocking and all around bouncy spirits. "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…" She had mumbled.  
  
"Um, hold on a sec, okay, here it is…" She pulled out two leather pouches--both long and thin. She produced from the first one a dagger. Whatever Severus was expecting--a toy, a joke, food--this wasn't it. He frowned. Georgie really should not keep sharp objects.  
  
"Isn't it gorgeous!" She gushed admiring the silver handle and the intricate knotted work at the bottom of the hilt. "And it can be concealed on the person."  
  
This was lost on Severus who frowned, "Explain why you got it." He didn't sound as thrilled as she'd somehow worked herself up to believe he would be, but at least he wasn't upset or anything--just sounded bewildered.  
  
"I'm going to learn to defend myself." She said simply. "I figure it's a useful skill and the knife fits well enough under clothing. 'Sides it's pretty."   
  
Severus rolled his eyes. "Not at Hogwarts." He insisted sternly.  
  
"Duh," She mocked him lightly and giggled and waved him off. "Wait the other one I got….is…." She rummaged a minute longer giving Severus time to brace against whatever ridiculous thing she would produce.  
  
She brought out two smaller and less detailed knives. These were more angular and had shorter blades, he knew these knives well. "Throwing knives." She explained gleefully.  
  
"I know." He spoke gravely. What was this sudden interest in weapons for her?  
  
"I also bought a couple of books on defense at the shop." She rifled through her things once more, he noticed hints of fabrics peeping out at him, before she thrust them all back into their bags and boxes.  
  
"Which store?" He queried. He could guess what type of store, but he wanted to drag it out of her.  
  
She knew that he could guess as well but "Oh, just a regular sort of store, you know, they all seem the same after awhile…" She knew she was sounding lame--even by her standards, but she didn't care. "It wasn't Knockturn Alley, okay?" She knew he'd ask sooner or later, so if she got that off of her chest he might have the decency to not question her further. Truth was, Remus had let it slip that there was a smallish village called Tullasmarsh to the south that was just as equipped for Wizarding needs as Hogsmeade--just not nearly as convenient. That and they had stores similar to those found in Knockturn, which was a draw for Georgie as well.  
  
Severus folded his arms across his skinny chest and scowled, "Defense always is a good idea, however…" He stopped and considered all the times he'd been able to sneak up on her. He would have to make sure she didn't carry them around Hogwarts.  
  
"Excellent, now check out what the man in the shop taught me," She picked up one of the throwing knives. "And it only took me an hour." She lifted the knife straight out in front of herself with a straight arm. She brought it back and before Severus could stop her she'd launched the knife across the wall and imbedded the blade into the doorframe of the door out to the Common Room at about eye-height.   
  
He walked over to the door sneering and grappled to remove the knife, "Brilliant Georgie. Just brilliant." He was mildly impressed--the strip of wood she'd hit was only as wide as his thumb--and from across the room, still, he stalked back over and held it out to his friend who was beaming like it were Christmas Day. "Impressive." He added drolly. "Perhaps we could set up a target so that the walls won't end up looking like one of Remus' scratching posts."  
  
She shrugged and turned to gather up her parcels, she knew that it was a great feat and Severus had to be impressed, really. He was just such a stingy muppet when he came to acknowledging things.  
  
He glided to his still open doorway to his rooms and stopped in them, turning around. "It's a smart move to learn defenses. You're useless you know at losing someone in the dark."  
  
Georgie grinned and lifted a finger as a salute to him but didn't look up, "I once saw a badge that said 'I'm only paranoid because everyone's trying to kill me.' How I wish I'd bought it and held on to it so you could have it today…"  
  
Severus left her and she gathered her parcels about herself on the center table. She summoned a quill and ink and addressed several of the packages to family members around the globe, even one for her Great Aunt Sylvie who haunted and kept up a huge Manor house in New Brunswick where Georgie's Uncle and his family used to live. Sylvie was a wonderful old dear who was horribly raunchy and vulgar. One Christmas she'd made some comment on having 'drank so much her back teeth were floating.' Georgie's mother was not amused; but everyone else was in an uproar over it.  
  
  
  
  
She got to her feet and was arranging the parcels in her arms, stacking them higher and higher under her chin so she'd only have to make one trip, when Severus burst back out. He looked at her and grinned guilefully.  
  
"Need anything to go through the post?" She murmured, trying not to move her chin too much as she spoke, as she was holding the paper-y tops of two boxes down with her jaw. "I've got plenty of room…." She eyed his letter. "Here, just stick it somewhere on top…maybe slip it between my elbow and…."  
  
Severus crossed the floor between them and grabbed several of the parcels from her hands. "Hey, I can handle them!" She protested indignantly.  
  
"I believe you. But I'm going up there anyway, so that's that." And he turned and walked out the door. Georgie ran right after him.  
  
"Thanks, but why not just give it to me? I mean, really? It weighs barely anything, and I could've carried it and saved you a trip!" She pursued.  
  
"I wished to give this to an owl personally. It's rather important." He didn't elaborate, so Georgie just mouth, "Oh," Somewhat quizzically. What the devil could the letter be if he didn't trust her with it? Or maybe he just didn't trust her with carrying anything up there; she had been known to lose things on even short ventures up to the owlery before. That made her feel a bit easier, but still…  
  
She coughed, "I hate snow--two weeks into the season the novelty just wears off for me." She griped.  
  
He didn't look at her, "I thought you enjoyed the snow?"  
  
"Yeah, I do, but still…" She pouted. It was difficult to say. And she was feeling so hot and stuffy in the halls--it was like a mild case of claustrophobia and she couldn't really escape from it to anywhere else.  
  
They reached the owlery and Severus grabbed up one of the largest blackest owls she'd ever seen. Funny, Georgie thought to herself that she'd never seen that owl before. School owls tended to be lively, brown barn owls. She watched unabashedly as he tied the rolled parchment onto it's iron-trap of a claw, and re-fastened it on even more securely, then it took to a hover in it's place before flying out the window. Curiouser and curiouser…  
  
When Severus turned back to her when his business was finished, she quickly got to selecting out her owls as well. There was no shortage of volunteers as there were so few students staying for the holidays to use them. She selected two or three owls each for the larger parcels, then a few of the smaller fowl were perfect fits for the tinier ones. She was finished in no time, and hopped on over to where Severus stood looking out the window idly.  
  
"I'm feeling violent. We should blow stuff up tonight. You game?" She teased as he followed her out and down the whirling stairs.  
  
"Blow stuff up? Care to be more specific?"  
  
"Don't know…" She scratched her forehead absently and than ran her fingers through her hair. In doing so she'd managed to make a fat curl stick out over her ear. Severus thought she reminded him of a ragged elf, but he didn't think it to be a compliment and thus didn't share it.  
  
"If you're so restless, go hill-walking outside of Hogsmeade." He suggested. Less mess to clean up for Hagrid.  
  
"What are you doing?" She pried.  
  
"Nothing. Always nothing." He spoke somberly.  
  
"Come." She offered simply.  
  
He looked at her and shrugged his thin shoulders. "Perhaps." Fat chance of that.  
  
  
  
  
However a few minutes later they were both dressed warmly as they slid out the castle door and tried to make their way through the white drifts. Georgie had put her wand in her pocket and was conjuring up tiny balls of fire with her hand and hurling them at the ground out before them as they trod on. The orbs smoldered and burned out several seconds after finding themselves embedded in the snow and Georgie noted that it made the going even easier with a lit path. Severus was just annoyed.  
  
"So…" Georgie looked to the ground and not at her friend as she braced herself, "You have any siblings?"  
  
Severus didn't answer right away. "Yes." He finally allowed.  
  
"Yesss….?" Georgie prompted and did a wonderful job of hiding her enormous surprise.   
  
"Yes…Yes." He replied casually. "I have a brother."   
  
"Oh, that's nice." She allowed herself a smile. She hadn't expected any sibling to actually be alive or anything--he surely would have spoke of him before….  
  
"No, it's not."  
  
She looked at him as he plunged through a patch of knee-high, dark underbrush. He didn't meet her gaze, though he had to know she was following him with her gaze.  
  
"That's a very cold, un-brotherly expression."  
  
He snorted and rolled his eyes. Then he replied acidly, "Well, I'll ask you to not hold it to me. He hasn't been the best of brothers."  
  
She waited for him to elaborate. And when they reached a high point that allowed a sweeping survey of the village below, she was rewarded.  
  
"I have a brother--I'm not perfectly sure where he is right now. He was one year ahead of me in school, looked completely different--he took after my father. Most people didn't realize we were even related until they would come upon our family name. We were both uncooperative and entirely lethal on arriving here at Hogwarts." He ran his hand through his hair in an absent-minded gesture. He slid out his wand and began to pelt the ground before him with short fire-bursts from the end of his wand.  
  
"If people ever thought I was a horrid child, he really was ten times worse. He only gave the appearance of innocence. I at least looked sullen and irritable. He was something else altogether…." He heaved out a great sigh, but it didn't strike one as a disappointing one.  
  
Georgie who had been listening silently broke in. "So what happened to him?"  
  
"Back when Voldemort was coming to power he decided that he'd challenge him--not straight on, mind you. But at another level. He gathered a small group of devout followers and began to terrorize Muggles and Wizards alike. He at least was better than the Dark Lord in that he didn't differentiate or discriminate--no he liked killing for killing's sake." He grinned scornfully. "They were a real force to be reckoned with for a while…."  
  
"In the end his followers were brought down systematically and he fled the country and the Ministry was never able to charge him formally, as he never returned. The Ministry and its asinine loopholes..."  
  
"So you haven't heard from him in…?"  
  
"A long time. But not long enough." He blasted apart a small tree a few paces away to emphasize his point. "He's an evil man."  
  
"I'm sorry." She answered sincerely.  
  
"Don't be." But he was.  
  
She sighed and slid out her own wand and followed his example by setting fire to a far-off bush. "Our brothers are both dead then, is it?" She spoke lightly, trying to gauge his feelings on the subject.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Life's turning out to be a bit of a puddle isn't it?." She sent a purple stream from her wand to an oak tree, which defied her attempts at making it burn.  
  
"You know, when I was twelve I hated being skinny and short and wished I were older. When I was 16, I couldn't wait to be 18 so life and my adolescent troubles would get easier." She smiled sweetly and turned to her friend full on. "It never does, does it?"  
  
It was a hypothetical question, yet he replied. "The older you get the more time your memory spans. The more people you've met and who've gone on. It's all baggage. Nothing gets easier, you just deal with it better."  
  
"Bullshit." She laughed and lobbed a fireball at Severus. She meant it to come close to him, but she miscalculated and it really did nearly graze him.  
  
"Fool!" He bellowed and glared at her. She looked away at the view and brushed the accumulating snow off of her tam. She saw electric lights from far-off houses and every once in awhile saw the telltale lights from an airplane, though none ever came near to Hogwarts or even Hogsmeade.  
  
"It really is a nice world out there, Severus." She coughed and turned back to amble up next to her friend. She watched him as he frowned and searched the valley below.  
  
"It'll be a lovely Christmas. I promise." She put her mittened hand on his shoulder and exclaimed, "Damn! You're too skinny! You need to eat more or something." She poked.  
  
"I will not have you fattening me up like a Christmas goose."  
  
"Wouldn't dream of it." She grinned foolishly at him.  
  
"Come on," he spat over his shoulder as he walked further on. He made quite the striking figure: The lanky, black figure striding across the snow reflecting the purple stormy skies, all the while blasting and burning as he went.  
  
She rolled her eyes as she trotted off after him, feeling very much like a little yapping terrier next to Severus--especially the yapping part, she thought saucily.  
  
  
  
Time flew much too quickly for Georgie. She was enjoying the fruits of the season that day-trips into London, Muggle and Wizard side alike, offered her. She and Hagrid went sledging when the snow piled up against the windows. Hagrid had hooked up his boarhound to it and they'd taken off screeching and howling with delight all over the grounds.  
  
Sirius and Remus returned and Sirius had been behaving slightly pissy having to be cooped up in the castle for so long, so they took off for The Three Broomsticks most nights now. It was becoming a regular staff meeting place--even Severus went once, but hadn't been back since then. Sirius was heaps of fun. Once Georgie had commented aside that she thought one tall wizard across the way was a looker, so Sirius stood up and bellowed for the fellow to join them all. All her professors turned and smiled broadly at Georgie, and she wanted to disappear right then and there as the man approached the table and struck up a conversation with her.   
  
His name turned out to be Michael and he truly was gorgeous, and very funny. She'd still murder Sirius later on for the looks and smirks he gave her from across the room as he worked his own brand of magic on the ladies present. He was always a hit wherever he went. It was all wicked fun.  
  
The next morning she awoke and found Severus awake and reading, it nettled her slightly but not for any justifiable reason that she could pinpoint. She was probably just hung over or something. He was always, always reading. She was going to grab her broomstick after the meal and take to the skies to clear her thoughts and to get out a bit, she decided.  
  
Severus looked at her, "Do you know what today is?" She scratched her head and ruffled up her hair.  
  
"The day I keel over?" She rounded the back of the couch and threw herself onto it face-down.  
  
"Tomorrow's Christmas." He spoke without emotion.  
  
She flipped over awkwardly and stared at him carefully. Narrowing her eyes, "So? Are we going caroling or something then tonight?" She'd pay money to see Snape delighting in a pantomime.  
  
"Hardly." He sneered unamusedly.  
  
They both looked up as Sirius nearly fell out from his room and stumbled across to where they sat conversing. He was shirtless and his hair stuck up in odd places, he didn't look altogether awake yet. When he got to Georgie's couch he lifted her legs and dumped them on the floor absently and sat in their former place. Georgie snorted with amusement. Severus glared.  
  
Sirius yawned and blinked, Georgie rounded on him and asked him in his sleepy stupor what he would call what they were sitting on right then.  
  
He answered drolly that it was a sofa. Georgie turned on Severus, who looked slightly angry--his lips were drawn tight and white. "Humor me. What is it called?"   
  
"A couch." He spat. "Why the devil….?"  
  
"I got an owl from my mom yesterday, she said she was getting rid of our old Chesterfield somewhere in it. I miss that word--makes me think of her." She massages her temples. "So what are we doing tonight then?"  
  
"Bonfire." He replied shortly. "Hagrid's idea really, he has some salamanders he wishes to play with, I believe…."  
  
"Yes, I've seen them in class…" She started, but was cut of by Sirius' snores. She turned abruptly and saw him falling forward over the arm of the couch, head on his arms as he'd apparently fallen back asleep.  
  
"Well," He said rising. "I have to finish a few potions today."  
  
"I'm going out flying. I'll find you afterwards and bug you."  
  
"Wonderful." He snarled.  
  
"Oy, shut your mouth, ya Scrooge. Off with you!" She teased and even managed to elicit a softening of expression as he stopped a moment on his way out to regard the fir tree in the corner that Sirius had given them as a Christmas present. Georgie had charmed some candles the night before to float in the boughs and the tree now was really quite simple and lovely. He then breezed out the door and left.  
  
She poked Sirius in the ribs, "Wake up lil' monkey! Get cracking!" Her voice virtually dripped syrup. She beat him lightly in the head with a pillow as she bolted out the door after Severus.  
  
  
  
Slowing down and reaching his side she fell into step with him. "Sooo…" She playfully engaged him. "Am I the daughter you never had or something?"  
  
"Excuse me?" He started and stared wild-eyed at her.  
  
"You're always having to straighten me out--calling me childish and things….so, am I the child you never had, never wanted, etc…."  
  
"I haven't called you childish today. Why bring this up?" He turned to face forward once more, but still evidently listened to her.  
  
"I'm just asking," She countered exasperatingly flinging her hands up in a giving-up sort of gesture.  
  
"I have no wish for a daughter like you. Besides I would have had all sons." He stated seriously. "I don't want to continue this conversation, If you don't mind."  
  
"Er, I bet….gee, what was I thinking--sons?' She teased unrelentingly. "So I'm the child you never had, that you're always forced to bail out and straighten out and put up with the antics of."  
  
"Where are you going with this? You have assisted me out of circumstances just as many times, no, probably more." He pointed out.  
  
"So you're the child I never had?" She shivered. "That's really sick."  
  
"Why is that sick?" He demanded, trying to look deeply insulted.  
  
"Well, it just is. You aren't sick, it just is…oh, nevermind. I'm just skin crawl-y, major willies here…." She murmured off.   
  
"Shut your mouth." He growled.  
  
As they climbed the last few steps and entered the entrance hall they both saw Remus amble around a corner and smile good-naturedly. Severus glared and Georgie waved amicably. She elbowed him lightly in the side pointedly, and he started to explain in a hiss under his breath, "I told you about…"   
  
"I know." She hissed back quickly, "Just act civil."  
  
He shot back, "Don't presume to tell me how to act," just out of Remus' hearing.  
  
"Happy Christmas," The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher approached them and extended his hand to them both in turn. He appeared to be in fine spirits and they all three proceeded to enter the Great Hall. The smell of sausages assaulted them all immediately after entering inside--It was heavenly, and Georgie's stomach spoke up and let those within earshot know it thought as much.   
  
Georgie looked up to the enchanted ceiling and saw that low clouds hung gray sky and it'd probably snow once more before the day was out. She parted from the two men and virtually ran to Hagrid's side. She felt like bursting with excitement--it was almost Christmas, she wanted to scream from the top of the Astronomy tower--though she doubted that Sinistra would appreciate it if she did.  
  
At the end of the meal she nearly pushed over Harry Potter and his little friends in the haste to get out to her broomstick and outdoors. She smiled at them and Hermione caught her eye and actually smiled back at her. Wonders never cease…  
  
  
  
Georgie was rushing past Snape as he was entering into the lounge, he looked her over seeming to scrutinize whether her cloak was warm enough. Georgie rolled her eyes at that, and smiled at him.  
  
"You do realize it is snowing." He sighed coldly.  
  
"Of course I do. Do you think Madam Hooch has an extra set of those goggles she's forever wearing?" She pondered absentmindedly as she maneuvered around his form and out the door. He just shook his head at her, but his eyes twinkled. So like a child on Christmas…or so he'd heard.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie enjoyed the time she spent alone that day. Of course she loved being social and interactive, but there was something to be said about feeling the wind in the hair, soaring solo over heights and having the only interruptions be the whistling in your ears and the musings of your own mind.  
  
She really was taking a beating from the high winds and the bitter cold, but she just kept her hacking cough to herself and pulled her cloak closer around herself. This was an 'experience' and mustn't be cut short on account of any discomfort from her, oh no.   
  
Hours later, her face was wind-burned and her body felt stiff and achy. She allowed that it was time to head back indoors so she turned her broom in Hogwarts' direction.  
  
At the entrance to the Common Room she almost fell over herself backwards as the Bloody Baron floated out through the wall just as she was about to announce the password. He looked her up and down and sneered in obvious disapproval before floating away down the dark corridor.  
  
"Oh, get off it," She frowned and pushed herself through the wall as it opened for her.  
  
Severus wasn't there and to her disappointment neither was Sirius Black. He was most likely spending time with his Godson or just out and about, she had seen him in the Great Hall earlier. She opened her room and hung up her dripping cloak on a hook set in the wall before kicking her shoes off with such force they sailed into the stone wall by her bed.   
  
She slipped out of everything damp and pulled on a heavy jumper. She palmed her wand and lifted it to her head and muttered a quick-dry spell--she would shower later. When she was satisfied with it's results she turned on her heel and determinedly padded out flat-footed to Snape's Classroom.  
  
She pushed the partly open door wide-open and bounded inside. Severus looked up at her as she tromped in, but returned his attention to whatever he had been previously stirring in his cauldron over a purply-orange flame. Georgie walked over to the opposite side of his cauldron and held up her hands in a mock attempt to warm her hands by the fire--she knew better than to interrupt his work.  
  
Severus' mouth twitched up at the corners as he tried to ignore his friend. "Done so soon?" He taunted her in a low voice.  
  
"Bloody Baltic out there." She began in a raspy voice, then cleared her throat and began. "Would you prefer I stayed out and caught my death of cold?" She stopped and laughed shrilly. "Oh wait, I forgot to whom I was speaking!"  
  
He gave her a cold stare. "You don't look very well." He said colloquially.  
  
"Funny, I feel fine enough…" She shrugged  
  
Severus brought his cool hand up to her forehead, "Cor, Severus, you're just like my mom. Stop hovering." She scolded.  
  
"You feel warm." He removed his hand but kept his stare fixed on her.  
  
"It's hot in here, but it's just from going from icy out there to tropical in here with that fire." She complained. "It's yo-yo temperatures, messes up my inner thermostat."  
  
"Georgie." He caught her attention and breathed a hefty "Heh." Into the air between them proving that it was indeed cold enough in the dungeons to actually see his breath.  
  
"Point made." She retorted dryly. "You need any help?"  
  
He squinted down at his bubbling concoction and shook his head. "You can make up a batch of Contention Solution if you haven't anything better to do. I'm helping Poppy with a few extras."  
  
"Why the devil does she need that?!" But she was already back behind his desk scooping up his spare cauldron in her arms when she asked. "Is that the cold-burning, fire-looking, bile-shit?" She asked with her back turned to him as she pried his cabinet open with her free hand.  
  
"Yes it is the cold-burning fire-STUFF." He glared at her back.  
  
She threw a few bottles and a sack into the bottom of the pewter bowl and closed the door carefully. "Sorrrr-ry." She taunted acridly as she bumbled over to a desk a few feet from his own cauldron. She felt his eyes on her, perhaps waiting for her to trip over herself or something….She sighed and gingerly lay out the ingredients and lifted the cauldron onto a fire that Severus then lit before her. "Thanks, gracias, merci, and dziekuje."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"Polish." She emptied a large vial of toad's blood into the pot and set the empty container down on the desk at her side.   
  
"Oh." He waved his wand and the fire beneath his own cauldron diminished to half it's original size. He leaned back against a student's desk and watched her movements with a singular frown. "I want you to be able to take over my classes if the occasion ever arose." He broke into her thoughts suddenly.  
  
Georgie looked up at this sharply. "I'd rather not, you know." She brought herself up to her full height and stood regarding him with her hands on her hips.  
  
"It's a necessity. I don't give a whit if you agree to it or not." He said menacingly.  
  
"You know as well as I do that I don't object on account of shyness." He acknowledged the truth to her statement.  
  
She scooped up a leech, "Aw, for Merlin's sake, Severus!" She whined heatedly and pushed a few strands of her moist hair off of her forehead with her empty hand.  
  
He turned his eyes ceiling-ward and gritted his teeth. "I thought you'd be happy for the chance to muck around with my lesson plans. The occasion will not arise, you dolt. I just wish you to be forewarned and prepared if it does."  
  
"Fine," she agreed grudgingly. "But if I blow up your desk on accident while you're gone, I'll at least have warned you about it." Stupid prat…  
  
"Throw in your leech." He pointed to her hand, and she looked down at the forgotten component before throwing it hard against the liquid surface.  
  
"He didn't deserve that." Severus attempted to joke with her.  
  
She smiled a sickly-sweet smile, "No, but you did." And she scratched the back of her leg with her other foot distractedly.   
  
He cocked his head to the side momentarily before turning back to his own project. A few minutes later he finished whatever he had been concocting, bottled it, cleaned up his materials and swept wordlessly from the room.  
  
Georgie didn't look up as he shut the door gruffly behind himself but muttered, "Bad Juju," and smirked.  
  
Georgie hummed Christmas carols to herself as she stirred the cauldron deftly, and daydreamed of cakes and pies and altogether wished time would hurry by much faster.  
  
  
  
  
Later, She adjusted her scarf round her neck as she stumbled out to the site of the bonfire by Hagrid's cabin. It was quite dark by this time and Georgie's nose began to run and she absently searched through her cloak's numerous pockets for a handkerchief. After finally coming up upon one she bent her head and blew her nose loudly, only to be drowned out by the wind which had picked up--once again, to her deep perturbation.  
  
She spotted Minerva's signature pointed hat and made a beeline for her silhouetted form beside the fire. She spoke the older woman's name as she approached and Minerva turned and nodded smilingly at her friend. "Haven't seen the likes of you in a long while."  
  
"I've been hiding out--plotting revenges and all." Georgie stopped beside the taller figure and noted the sprig of holly on her green hat. They watched the bulky form of Hagrid as he kept heaving enormous logs--trees really--onto the already intense heat of the bonfire. While they stood there only a few minutes in silence, the fire had nearly double it's size.  
  
"Minerva, do you always stay here over Christmas?" She cast a sidelong glance at her friend as she tried to pose the question carefully.  
  
"Nearly." She replied with a slight smile. "My life and my work is here. I visit family over the summer holidays, but really I wouldn't trade being here for anything in the world." She looked straight into the fire.  
  
Georgie frowned and nodded, a little disbelievingly. She wrapped her arms around her bundled self and looked at the others who were assembled there. She immediately saw Harry Potter and his two friends Herminone and the younger Weasley boy, but there was another chubby, short boy with them, who seemed to be eyeing the salamanders with sheer terror almost--as it they might all leap for his throat at any second.  
  
She tried to stifle a laugh, as she scratched her forehead trying to pinpoint who the student could be. She reminded herself to ask Minerva that later.  
  
She found Dumbledore and Professor Lupin standing off to her far right chatting, heads together, under the great oak tree. Sprout and Pomfrey were sitting together on a low bench, sharing a heavy lap-blanket draped over their legs. Severus stood erect on the direct opposite side of the large fire and appeared to be maintaining the salamanders. Every so often he'd reach into a brown box and remove a dangling creature then bend stiffly to set it at the edge of the fire. She would learn later that Minerva had Transfigured maybe 50 salamanders as it was doubtful if more than a couple would spring naturally from the fire.  
  
The few Slytherins that had remained behind had just arrived from the castle and were joining the rest of the school finally and Georgie was speaking aside to Minerva about the latest article in The Daily Prophet when Dumbledore took a few steps forward and everyone gathered hushed up quickly.  
  
"Welcome everyone. May I take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas Eve. This is the first time we've ever had this sort of activity here--and we all owe this to Hagrid here. So try and stay warm, enjoy each other's company and we'll be roasting apples in a few minutes, so eat them up."  
  
Several students sought out Hagrid and began apparently praising and thanking him, as his eyes gleamed and his cheeks burned bright red as he waved them all away affably. But of course the color could be from the fire as well.  
  
Georgie grabbed two apples from the barrel over on the ground as Minerva replied in the affirmative when asked if she'd like one roasted for her. Somehow Georgie could not imagine Minerva crouching down beside the fire with a stick in hand--and apparently nor could Minerva imagine it. But Georgie didn't mind.  
  
When both apples were dripping and smelled simply heavenly Georgie straightened her stiff legs and turned back to where Minerva stood almost sentinel. Severus stood beside the older woman and they were speaking together as she approached. Georgie stopped before them and offered to the woman the apple--"Careful it's very hot!" She warned.  
  
Looking at Severus, "Would you like one?"  
  
"No." He held one up clutched in a claw-like way. "I forced Longbottom to do it for me."  
  
She nodded, not fully understanding.   
  
He frowned and bent to pick up a salamander from the box. When he had straightened up to his full height once more, Georgie simpered. "It doesn't surprise me in the least that you're in charge of the creepy crawling things."  
  
He took a few steps forward then, but not enough to have covered the distance between the group and the fire. He brought the little creature back and hurled it with all his force into the center of the flames rather roughly.  
  
"Ack. That's not right!" Georgie screeched wide-eyed.  
  
"Severus!" Minerva gawked, appalled at his coarseness.  
  
"Oh stop it." He sneered and turned on them. "They're just snuffboxes anyhow."   
  
"Oh." Georgie pursed her lips up in recollection.  
  
"Still," Minerva kept on, though unsure as to how to argue this one. Do Snuffboxes have feelings?  
  
He stepped back and took his place on Minerva's opposite side.  
  
"Were you one of those children who tortured rats in their cellars?" She teased him.  
  
"My family's house did not have rats!" He roared suddenly incensed, causing several nearby students to look up and move away from the bellowing Potions master. "…And yes I was." He hissed so as only to be heard by the two ladies.  
  
Minerva looked displeased, but Georgie just grinned widely and nodded.  
  
The rest of the evening was jolly, and time raced away from them without their noticing it. Georgie mused that this must be what camp-outs at summer camps must be like; just passing times with friends under a starry sky. She'd never been to camp, though as a child she'd begged her parents to allow her to go to one.  
  
She slipped away unnoticed after a few hours and headed out the gate towards Hogsmeade, but turned instead of entering the village and walked away into the night.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Editing's taking forever, forgive me for my picky-ness. Still don't own nothing. 


	18. Chapter Eighteen Christmas

Chapter Eighteen--Christmas  
  
  
Well after midnight Georgie pushed open the door to the study lounge as quietly as she could and slipped inside the nearly dark room before shutting the door behind her. She turned slowly around and her eyes slowly became accustomed to the darkness--but it really wasn't all that dark. A fire was burning half-heartedly in the hearth and the room smelled overwhelmingly like the tree sleeping off in the corner. It felt rather cozy and she half-smiled serenely as her comfortable surroundings sunk in.  
  
"Are you going to lurk in doorways all your life, or come in?" Severus called from his perch on the couch.  
  
"Come in of course," as she shuffled forwards toward the fire.  
  
"You should tell people when you go off places." He scolded lightly.  
  
"Eh, You're right. I should've, but I didn't want to hear crap from anyone about it."  
  
"Can't imagine too many others giving you crap, as you say. Unless you were snogging with Potter, very little you would do could so upset me that I'd 'give you crap'." He mimicked her tone as she gingerly set herself down after removing her cloak by the fire.  
  
"Nah, 'twasn't like that at all." She shivered slightly and gurgled out.  
  
Severus noticed that and turned his wand on the dying fire to cheer it up a bit. "So where did you end up losing yourself anyway?"  
  
"I went to church." She said as matter-of-factly as she could muster, but she was slightly embarrassed at the admittance. Very few English wizards were receptive to how her parents had raised her, and to what she had eventually decided for herself. Midnight Masses themselves were rare. Perhaps it was the North American family influences, dear Aunt Sylvie...or just her own stubbornness, still...  
  
He poured her a glass of some hot liquid; "I can respect that." And handed her the glass.  
  
"What's this?" She lifted the glass to her nose.  
  
"It's spiced-wine." Hmm, she set it down hastily as she felt a sneeze coming on.  
  
"Lord." She grinned at him as she picked her goblet back up. "My grandmother drinks spiced-wine." She sipped it cautiously and grimaced and crinkled up her nose. "Hot," she explained to his inquisitive stare.  
  
"Does that mean it's not good if your grandmother prefers it?"  
  
"Not at all." She sipped it once more, and frowned deeply into the dark steaming vessel. "Just curious tastes, though I quite like it. I could get used to it when the weather's bad."  
  
He drank heavily of his own drink and his black eyes glinted off towards the fire. "How do you spend you time usually? Holidays I mean?" He posed to her without even looking in her direction. Might as well make conversation he reasoned within himself. What the hell was he doing?  
  
"Erm, if I'm at home, I spruce up the place, attempt to bake, and watch stale television movies about what a jolly season it is indeed." She said drolly. "If I were at school, I would just spend time with friends, go out drinking, and hope for the holidays to be over with." She smiled sweetly at him, trying to avoid his eye.   
  
"I'm afraid I'm not much fun, am I? No real traditions, or family things to do. I'm happy though. But it doesn't ever end up as bad as I make it out to sound! Really, I'm quite happy." She sighed. "I can make my own traditions. No regrets." She spoke rather more to herself than to her companion.  
  
"And you?" She challenged.  
  
"I sit here by myself in the dark and think that another year's about to be over and done with, and that I have precious little to show for it." She frowned and was about to protest when he held up his hand in her direction. "I am as I am now. That is all." And he drank his wine. "Let's not get into some horrid conversation about motives or duties and the future state of the world, where you'll end up blubbering."  
  
"That's rather harsh." She bit her lip.  
  
"Good. Meant it to be. This is Christmas, which, I'm told, is a time for celebrating and happiness." He pronounced strongly and carefully, as if trying not to sneer.  
  
Lord, couldn't he even be civil now? "True enough. So it's surrogate family then, is it?" She winked.  
  
He humphed at her use of the word family. But turned full-on towards her, "Anything you like." His eyes twinkled at her and she smiled soberly.   
  
She raised her glass to him, "To family?"  
  
He nodded curtly at her.  
  
They drank, "La, we're like a couple of old pensioners drinking to days gone by." She laughed.  
  
"Don't mix up the New Year and Christmas. There's a sort of order and ceremony to the thinking and reflecting and drinking--Hagrid will lead by example for that last bit later on." He said seriously. "Now, dwell on as you say, just the happy things of how things are--not how they should be."  
  
"Thank you Professor Snape!" She twittered. "Organized as always. 'Order of things' indeed! But if I'm to be so very happy, you must be as well, you know." She chided him.  
  
"So I will be," He nodded in her direction.  
  
She doubted his words greatly but said to him, "That's all I wanted to know, so now my happiness is complete."  
  
Severus cocked his head as he reached across to snatch her goblet from her hands and refill it. "You're an odd girl."  
  
"Yeah, and you're the epitome of normal yourself, sir." She burped and leered at him.  
  
He growled and thrust the glass back into her hand.   
  
"I'd better be going off to sleep now, tomorrow's going to be full," She mumbled lightly.   
  
"A wise decision," he allotted. "Happy Christmas Georgie."  
  
"Happy Christmas, Severus." He smiled at her as she closed her door behind her. Then turning his own attention inward once again, he drank his wine.  
  
  
  
  
  
Surprisingly Severus slept like the dead, as for him this was a rare natural occurrence. Usually he was racked with nightmares, or else he felt like consciously punishing himself by forcing himself to remain up, staring into the darkness. Sleep never was the reward at the end of his long and difficult day.  
  
And he had been in the grips of a deep slumber, which was mercifully devoid of nightmares or guilty consciences, when he heard the yelling coming from somewhere just beyond him. He let out a low grumble and his eyes snapped open and tried to adjust to the semi-darkness the drawn curtains created around his bed.  
  
He heard the yelling once again, so he stiffly sat up and snatched up his wand. He sidestepped his own pitifully small piles of gifts and grabbed up his robe from off a hook by his bed and slipped it on as he pushed open his bedroom door.   
  
"Severus!" and "Oh-mi-gawd!" and "Ahhh!" assaulted his sensitive morning hearing and he padded over to his friend's flung-open door. She was on her knees on the floor beside the present he'd gotten her, poking it with her finger excitedly.  
  
He brought his foot down hard on the floor to alert her of his presence. "So, is he alright?" She looked up at him and beamed. In truth she felt as if she were going to explode with joy and laughter.  
  
The ugly, beaked head of the sea turtle turned ever so slowly and regarded the tall intruder. "He's beautiful!" Georgie gushed with pride.  
  
"Albus gave me permission to give him to you. He's obviously not a regulation-sized pet." He crossed over to her desk and pulled out the stiff chair to seat himself upon.  
  
She squealed as the turtle lifted two long fins in an effort to drag himself over towards her. "What's he eat, do you know? I woke up and he was trying to eat the paper off the other presents."  
  
"I don't know, nor do I give a whit what he eats, so long as it's nothing important of mine." He rubbed his nose absently with his eyes closed. "I've had him a week and I've fed him seaweed and lettuce and he ate it. I got him from a colleague of mine."  
  
"Aren't they endangered?" She asked lightly, not really caring if they were or weren't at that moment.  
  
"Yes, but my colleague is involved in a breeding program. This one preferred staying on land over going into the waters, so it would have been near impossible to release him into the wild." He yawned deeply. "Name him or something already." He growled.  
  
"Hm, Martin, Stuart, Teddy, Marcus, Shane, Rory, Walter, Joshua, Sean..." She trailed off and sucked her bottom lip in.  
  
"Those are awful." Severus pointed out the obvious.  
  
"Well, I can't very well name him Spot, Freckles or Fido now can I ?  
  
"It's your pet now, you must choose."  
  
"No, you must help me. You had a hand in giving him to me, so help out a bit. What do you like? If you had one what would you call him?"  
  
"I would call him The Turtle."  
  
"Oh, lovely imagination." Georgie said.  
  
"How about Marcus or Sean? Though really, I still think it's absurd giving it a human name."  
  
"How about Marco or something? It's exotic. Marco--Marco Polo? Yes, I think I like that name well enough."  
  
Severus nodded at that and closed his eyes once more. Her room was too bright for his tastes: curtains thrown completely back to allow the glaring winter sun in.  
  
"Wake up Severus," she sang lowly. "Go grab up you presents and meet me out in the lounge--we can open them together and sit in front of the fire."  
  
He couldn't be bothered to argue with her, but he was at least consoled that his own pile of presents was mercifully small and so he could escape scrutiny as soon as they were done.  
  
Minutes later Severus was seated on the couch and Georgie and Marco Polo were before the fire. It seemed to take an eternity for the pitiful creature to drag itself any distance at all. She had pounded on Sirius' door and either he was sleeping too soundly or else he'd taken off to visit that fool nephew of his. Severus guessed correctly that the second was indeed the case.  
  
"Okily, now open my present for you." Her eyes glowed as she pointed to the one wrapped up plainly with blue paper and a black ribbon. He slid his thin fingers under the ribbon and slipped it off, and started on the corners of the taped paper. Georgie leaned forward, propping her chin up with her hands resting on her knees, and watched him intently.   
  
He slid the paper off and it fell to the floor at his feet. He looked at what he held in his hands and seemed to be holding his breath. For a minute Georgie began to panic: she had gone over his bookshelf and she just knew he didn't already have it, but perhaps he was displeased or something.  
  
He opened up Ancient and Powerful Potions: Medieval Secrets and began to turn the pages slowly as if it were some sacred manuscript. In truth, he was shocked. He brought his gaze to look at her and just stared wide-eyed at his friend sitting ridiculously sprawled on the floor before him.  
  
When he found his voice at last he said, "Do you know what this is?"  
  
She nodded, a smile slowly spreading with relief over her face. "Er, it's a book?" So he wasn't disappointed.  
  
He moved his fingers down the outer edges of the faded pages, "This is....incredible."  
  
Georgie twittered to herself happily and amused herself shyly with the discarded ribbon and paper.  
  
"I've been looking for this book for years. There are supposedly only ten copies left in existence." He was talking more to himself than her. She was impressed. And here she'd thought it was simply a fun little book. "Where ever did you find it?"  
  
"If I told you, I'd have to kill you." She teased.  
  
"I'll run that risk. So where then?" He asked seriously.  
  
She frowned and looked a bit embarrassed and didn't answer for a second.  
  
"Knockturn?" He ventured a guess. "I'd given up on it's ever showing up there."  
  
She squirmed, "Actually it was Tullasmarsh."  
  
"Ah-ha," he allowed, but still wagged a finger at her absently. "But however did you find this? I hope you haven't read any of it--it's...dangerous....I've been over Tullasmarsh.... It's impossible to find..." He indicated the book on his knee. He obviously meant how could she ever had found such a rare book and then managed to pay for it. Especially considering they both knew she hadn't a clue as to it's real value.  
  
"Fate. I was meant to find it I suppose." She shrugged.  
  
He shrugged in reply and turned back to the book. Fate was for those too lazy to accept responsibility. "Wonderful." He muttered to himself and flipped through the pages.  
  
"Oh, open something else. I'm hungry and we'll never make it to breakfast at this rate. You'll have the book for the rest of your life, so read it then!"  
  
He glared at her as he set the book down beside him reluctantly before scooping up another package.  
  
Georgie attacked her own pile of gifts and snatched up the ones from her parents. Her mother had actually sent her several and they were all clothing or jewelry of different sorts. Georgie explained sheepishly that her mother always liked to dress her up.  
  
Georgie paused to watch as Severus opened up a squashy bundle that contained a very soft dark green scarf. He eyed her quizzically, and she crawled over on her knees and searched all about the floor, "Hold up, there's got to be a card or something somewhere....Oh, here it is. It wasn't fastened on very well at all!" He snatched it from her hands impatiently.  
  
"It's from the twins." He held up the card in front of her nose.  
  
"So I see, and how nice it is." She admired.  
  
"I wonder if they send me this out of feeling obligated because I sent them a gift..." He mused, rubbing his nose.  
  
"That's rubbish, and you know it, you big idiot. You and obligations..." She laughed heartily at him, and he stiffened. Georgie had helped him pick out a gift for the twins one day down in Hogsmeade at his insistence. He ended up getting them two books of poetry from Burns and Yeats. He knew that Burns was Scottish, but the only other Irish poetry book in the collection was Oscar Wilde and Severus had 'issues' with the man's writings.  
  
Georgie opened a small box from the twins and started at the sight of a lovely little silver necklace with a knotted design on the cross. She hastily slipped it on and thrust it down under her nightgown with a smile of pleasure. She played with Marco Polo poking him in the beak as Severus opened a few others from colleagues she'd never before heard mentioned. She teased when some unknown person named Andrew gave Severus a book with '365 Happy Thoughts for Your Year'. "Yeah, they must really not know you at all..."  
  
Georgie picked up the small package from her father and Severus watched her expression as she opened the box to reveal a peculiar sort of tool. She yipee-ed and showed him how it was like a sort of knife with also pliers, scissors, a bottle opener and other things hidden it. "How useful." He acknowledged.   
  
"My dad's the best." She boasted proudly, then hushed herself up as Severus probably wouldn't want to reminded of his own family or past today.  
  
"Your turn." She said.  
  
They opened all of their gifts from the other staff and a few of the other students. Severus had thrown aside a small marble dragon--Georgie guessed it to be a paperweight or something--and announced it was from the Malfoys with no small amount of disgust. She could only guess that if the rest of the family was as terrible as Draco was, Severus had every right to not appreciate the gift. Severus muttered to himself and Georgie picked up the words 'mean-spirited' and 'greedy' and 'irreverent sacrilege' but didn't inquire any further into the matter.  
  
He watched her as she opened something from her Aunt Sylvie in New Brunswick a long coat that buttoned all the way up the front. "How useful." She murmured to herself, echoing Severus.  
  
The last presents for them both were oddly shaped bundles tied with coarse string where there was usually ribbon over the gaily-printed paper. Georgie tore through hers; the curiosity was driving her crazy. She lifted up a block of gingerbread, a yo-yo, a very warm looking fuzzy black hat, a dog collar and a rubber snake. She gaped open-mouthed at her friend who smiled at her amusement.  
  
"Who the devil would have sent this?!" She exclaimed, as she fastened the dog-collar jokingly around her neck.  
  
"That style virtually reeks of Cassy and company." He smirked and shook his head. "Look for a card, it might be inside as well." She dug through the tissue papers and found the note-card at the very bottom of the pile. She read it then looked up to Severus and nodded.   
  
"Open yours, this might be interesting." He frowned at what her idea of interesting might be, but opened it anyway. He lifted out a hunk of banana bread, then a purple teddy bear, a potted cactus, a giant red magnet, a book of photographs of famous light-houses, then lastly he lifted up a pair of red and green boxer-shorts with 'Ho ho ho," written across them.   
  
"Oh my lord!" Georgie exclaimed before guffawing and collapsing over on the floor in hysterics. As soon as he had gotten over the initial shock, Severus hastily put those away and in fact, buried them under everything else. His face blanched white and if he could have showed himself to be embarrassed by an outward sign...that was the closest he was going to get today.  
  
He even allowed himself a slight smile, albeit a sheepish one after many moments had passed. He stood up and held his hand out to the recovering girl. "Is it a pajama breakfast or shouldn't we get dressed?" He asked her.  
  
"I'm going as I am, but if you want to change...." She jerked her head in the direction of his room.  
  
He took off for his room and reappeared only seconds later. "Wow, that was fast." She allowed then headed out the door, but turning around she stared right at Marco Polo lying before the glowing fire. "Oh, but don't you think he could--"  
  
Severus stopped her by grabbing her under the elbow and ushering her out.  
  
  
  
  
The rest of the day they spent 'playing with their toys'. Severus was engrossed by his book and had even announced his intention to try out a few of the potions that week as soon as he'd gotten the materials from town.  
  
Georgie joined in a very violent snowball fight that afternoon and had the time of her life. Lupin and Sirius had actually started it and pretty soon everyone left in the castle was outside to watch it or to join in. Sirius had been introduced to the students who didn't know him as 'Ted', and besides all of that, he didn't look a thing like he had when he was in all the papers, as Minerva had told her. No one would recognize him now. Severus and Minerva were the only ones Georgie hadn't seen out there, but she wasn't looking too hard.  
  
"Mele kalikimaka!" Georgie kicked the door open to the lounge and Severus looked up from his perch with a start.   
  
"Sorry." She said. She limped in stiffly and collapsed on the couch.   
  
"What happened to you?" He asked concernedly.  
  
"A very hard snowball hit me in the side. Bruised me up a bit methinks." She waved him away.  
  
"You sure?" He eyed her as she pitched her sopping cloak down before the fire.  
  
She nodded and lay back, closing her eyes. "Of course I'm sure a snowball hit me." He returned to his fascinating new book.  
  
She coughed a few minutes later and he noticed out of the corner of his eyes that she winced and shut her eyes up tight as if in pain.  
  
"Georgie, you're hurt." He set his book aside. "Who could throw a mere snowball this hard to make it hurt you so badly?"  
  
She smiled sickly; "Lots of people I reckon. Superman could, trolls could, if dragons could throw....It's just a bruise really." She tried to reassure him. "And it wasn't any mere snowball." She growled under her breath.  
  
"Was magic used?" He growled.  
  
"Ha!" She laughed, then clutched her side. "Not magic. It was a simple, stupid rock covered in ice. Quite juvenile really."  
  
"What?!" he roared. His face became livid.  
  
"See, I knew you'd do this." She scolded. "It'll go away, not a big problem. Let it be."  
  
"Let me see your side." He demanded.  
  
"It doesn't matter," she waved her hand at him dismissing his suggestion. "It's a bruise." She pronounced.  
  
"Then let me see it."  
  
"Fine Mother. You want to see it? Here it is." She said hotly. And she snatched up her sweater and lifted it up to show her side clearly, but modestly.  
  
He fought against the impulse to scream at her. It covered a large part of her side and her tan skin was purple and green and even red in parts. "Oh." He hadn't realized he had spoken aloud. It looked awful, and he was sure it hurt quite a bit.  
  
"It's not that bad, Snape. I bruise easily"  
  
Liar, he held back. "Must feel awful." He said sincerely, though also slightly baiting her.  
  
She smiled at him, "Thanks."  
  
"So who threw it?" It in some odd way pleasured him to know that Georgie had an enemy here at Hogwarts. Perhaps she was human after all.  
  
"Not telling."  
  
She saw him draw himself up to his full height. "Don't try and do anyone any favors."  
  
"Really, I've thought this through." She said trying to sound as serious as she could. "I will not have my or anyone else's Christmas messed up. I'm fine." She smirked. "Now go play with your teddy bear or something...." She got to his feet and expected him to stand aside.  
  
However, when he didn't, "I'm going to take a bath and I'm positive I'll feel a bazillion times better afterwards, really." She touched his arm and he shrugged and went out through the Common Room without a word.  
  
  
  
  
Severus returned an hour later feeling even more enraged than he had been before. He'd gone to visit Hagrid in his cabin and had nonchalantly slipped in the question of how Georgie got her bruise. Hagrid had said that he hadn't known who the culprit was, but he was positive it had been a Slytherin. Hagrid had rushed to her side when he saw his friend crumple up in the middle of all the chaos. He inquired how she was doing now, and Severus was obliged to answer that she was fine, and that the injury to her side had done nothing to hinder her smart mouth. Hagrid laughed heartily at that and they continued to drink their tea.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie looked up as he swept through the door almost noiselessly. "What's up?" She nodded at him as he crossed the room and snatched up one of her presents and was absentmindedly turning it over in his palm. "I am so looking forward to this Christmas dinner--I'm going to stuff myself silly. My father used to tell stories about the mummers when he was a boy even though he lived in the country, and so sometime--well, rather some year as it can't be this year--I'd like to catch one. Not really catch one though. And there'll be plum pudding! Ah!" She ranted all in one breath.  
  
He set aside her yo-yo and sat down, pausing before asking. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Perfect." She toyed with his magnet and threw it across to him. "Plum pudding, plum pudding, plum pudding." She chanted.  
  
"Smell this." She vaulted off of her couch and thrust her wrist under his nose.  
  
"Why? What is it?" He looked up at her alarmed.   
  
"Sirius got me perfume. What's it smell like to you?"  
  
"Sandalwood? Some wood? I don't know." He said resignedly. "What is it?"  
  
"Surprise." And she laughed to herself as she sat on the arm of his couch.  
  
He cleared his throat and she looked at him expectantly.  
  
"Cassy has invited you to come out sometime this week for a visit. She said as much in her Christmas card to me a week ago. Apparently you made quite an impression on the house elves." Severus glared at her.  
  
She scrutinized him, "What do you want to do?" She couldn't very well go without him if the past way of travel repeated itself, and besides if it weren't convenient--and it was his house after all--  
  
"I'm going regardless. I always spend a couple of days there during Christmas." He watched her face, "But if you don't prefer to stay that long I can cut the trip short or bring you back."  
  
"Woo-hoo!" She hopped up and did a little jig.  
  
"Does that mean 'yes'?" He tried to resist looking pleased at the picture she made.  
  
"Yep, yep, yes, yeah, uh-huh, righty-o, weeeee....!" She squealed.  
  
"Your enthusiasm, though touching, just goes to show how lunatic you really are."  
  
She performed a sweeping bow to him to which he frowned at, "Well, it's a good thing because I answered days ago that she could expect us."   
  
Georgie laughed at him and hopped off to her room calling out over her shoulder, "I'm changing for dinner."  
  
Girls are forever changing their attire, no one bothers to notice these things anyway he rationalised. "You presume I care, Georgie." He called after her. She made sure to tell him where she was going--within reason. He would ask anyway and persist until he knew, so she figured she could save face a bit by volunteering the information before it got to that point.  
  
  
  
  
Georgie scurried down the darkened corridor to catch up with Severus. He had continued walking to the Great Hall when Hermione had jumped from the shadows to accost Georgie for a minute. Georgie could only stand in shock as the girl rapidly explained that she needed help in Potions and would she help her sometime before classes started up again. Georgie just stared at the girl and nodded dumbly at her as the girl wished her a Happy Christmas before walking in the opposite direction.  
  
"That was strange." She spoke to Severus, "That girl's barely had two words to say to me in the months I've been here."  
  
"Perhaps she's warmed to you."  
  
"No, that can't be it." Severus was amused at her reasoning.  
  
"Give it no more thought. It's Christmas." That seemed to be their secret code-word meaning 'don't worry'. They used it more often than normal people did.  
  
"Bah, humbug."  
  
But she brightened up on entering the room at last. The halls had been hung with holly boughs and the suits of armor had been enchanted to glow and sing Christmas carols. Georgie even discovered on her half-hearted rounds the other night a suit of armor that only sang the bad version of songs. She'd had enough when he started in on 'Spice Girls Got Ran Over By a Reindeer'.   
  
But this was something altogether...well, wonderful. The room had a cozy glow and the whole populace of the place was gathered together on one table in the center of the room. There were the usual twelve Christmas trees with fairy lights and candles hanging in mid-air above the branches. The sky overhead was just beginning to turn darker, and so the whole room seemed to be bathed in a cream-colored misty blanket of lights.  
  
She stumbled numbly up to the table and sat in the first available seat which was next to Hagrid and Minerva. Georgie was glad of both of these people by her side for the meal and quietly drew Minerva into conversation. Hagrid offered her a cracker and she tried to politely decline, but he harassed her until she took an end. With a sharp pop a large cowboys hat fell on the table between them. As Hagrid was already wearing a ladies hat with violets decorating the rim, Georgie sat the Cowboy one atop her head with a yee-ha.  
  
The food itself was incredible--the house-elves have really outdone themselves, Georgie thought. There was a ham and a turkey as well--at least Georgie guessed it was turkey. It was probably too large to be any other sort of bird, save Emu and... ew, that would just be too strange. She crossed her fingers that the house elves knew the spell to make the food enlarge.  
  
Hagrid kept taking snatches up of the sugared apricots and Minerva had to keep reminding Georgie to wait for the stuffing and the sausagemeat--her favorite part in the past. There were potatoes (there were always potatoes), also roasted parsnips and rice pudding--both of which Georgie detested. Minerva swore that--speaking of puddings--the Plum pudding was better though. Georgie was taken with these little croquettes filled with some cheese stuff.  
  
It was after all, her first Christmas in England, and in Poland they had enjoyed fish on Christmas Eve and beef, dumplings and soups on Christmas Day. Her favorite Christmases had been when she was younger and visiting her Aunt Sylvie--her household always had the most fabulous food: cranberries and stuffing and turkeys and everything rich and full of spices. Her house would smell heavenly for almost a week before Christmas.  
  
With her own immediate family, it had been casual and helter-skelter whenever everyone was home--meal-wise at least.   
  
Georgie managed to speak a little with another Slytherin boy for a few moments who was positioned near her at her end of the table, a quiet soul Georgie had managed to talk to only twice before. He name was Sam McLeery, a short dark-haired, bulging-eyed child who looked perpetually sick and spoke with a raspy voice. She found out that he liked to play guitar as well and they said they'd definitely have to get together for a 'jam session' of sorts.  
  
Once the food had been cleared and everyone's bellies were very full, everyone sat back and chatted with neighbors and drank hot drinks. Minerva and Hagrid were drinking Hot Toddys and Georgie chose wine. Several students were consuming Butterbeers and Georgie wished she'd seen them before starting in on her wine. Sirius and Lupin were knocking back some stronger stuff by the looks of it, and they sat with their heads together at the opposite end of the table.  
  
After time, more and more yawns were heard and people began to drift away. Georgie felt the beginning pangs of a sadness start to settle in--Christmas was nearly over! Finally there was only one other student left at the table--a Hufflepuff in deep conversation with Professor Flitwick. She liked that on Christmas all lines between students and teachers appeared to have disappeared.   
  
Georgie sighed and turned to Hagrid, who was by now flushed in the face. "We should do a bit of singing, don't you think? It had always been a tradition for us all at The Institute." He nodded profusely. Minerva overheard and acknowledged that she'd enjoy that as well. But the older woman posed the problem of no comfortable place to do it in.  
  
"Let me ask Snape first, I'll see what he says to it." And she rose from her chair and approached Severus' back, and waited for a polite pause to break in and bent to ask him in lowered tones if it'd be alright by him. He shrugged and gave permission for Slytherin to host it--as they were the smallest in number--very ambivalent towards the whole thing.   
  
Georgie returned to Hagrid and Minerva with a grin upon her face and the three of them took off to gather up other voices for the sing.   
  
  
  
  
Georgie managed to recruit the McLeery boy, who as it turned out was a far finer musician than she would ever hope to be. And when she acknowledged this to the boy, he grinned and sheepishly told her that his mother had made him take music lessons since he was four years old.  
  
Sirius' loud banter about Marco Polo made her frown and she stooped to try and drag the enormous creature into her room and shut the door on him. She loved showing him off, but she couldn't run the risk of a drunken Sirius hurting her pet.  
  
Sam McLeery was warming up and Flitwick and Sprout had just arrived together. Really, Georgie considered, if the crowd grew much larger they'd have to move the whole gathering out into a classroom or to the large Antechamber off the Great Hall. Even Hermione was there with that chubby Gryffindor boy--they must've gotten in with Minerva feeling sorry for them--but Harry Potter and Wesley were no-shows, not that Georgie cared. Severus would be ecstatic though, once he showed up.  
  
Pomfrey patted to a spot on one of the sofas that she'd apparently saved for Georgie and they both looked up as Hagrid introduced the boy (everyone clapped) and announced the first song. Everyone song loudly and jolly, but no one could really hold a tune. Georgie felt at ease sitting beside the elder witch who belted out the wrong words almost half the time, but still kept on going.  
  
Sirius kept requesting the silly songs, and when no one had ever heard of it, he'd reply, "Oh really? It's the thing right now in London." And he'd sing a solo himself. He was such a character though! Everyone was clutching their sides and howling with laughter as he strutted, and acted out the songs, sometimes employing high-pitched and lisping voices.  
  
Severus and Dumbledore slipped in and stood against the wall with the bookcase watching everyone acting crazed. Trewlaney sang a solo Coventry Carol and Georgie did have to admit she had a handsome voice. Plus she had guts, there wasn't enough money in the world to make her stand up and sing a solo in front of 15 people--friends or not. It almost made Georgie feel less animosity towards her. Almost, but not quite.  
  
Sprout piped up, "How about Greensleeves?"  
  
"Oh yes, I love that song!" Pomfrey added to her friend's request.  
  
Severus cleared his throat, and everyone swiveled in his or her places to look at him. "Georgie can play that." He must have heard her practicing the other evening in her room. Sneaky...  
  
She tried her hardest to glare daggers at him as everyone began pressing her for it. Sam McLeery said he'd enjoy playing a two-part piece if she knew the basics.   
  
She sneered at Severus and he meanly grinned openly at her discomfort. She was off and in a moment returned with her guitar from her room. She sat beside Sam for a moment, conversing and strategizing in whispered tones.  
  
Everyone watched as Sam nodded to his partner and began to play, with Georgie playing the first part. No one spoke while they played. Georgie could hear rushing in her ears and her heart was racing as she anxiously tried to not screw up in front of her friends. Or throw up from nerves.  
  
Thankfully the song did eventually end and Georgie stood and rushed off to her room to return the guitar before anyone could speak of a repeat performance. Sam was blushing at the attention and everyone was talking amongst themselves quietly once again as a few souls dared to sing--Hagrid always sounding off in the foreground.  
  
Georgie returned to poor Sam's side and whispered to him absent-mindedly to put his mind at ease as he continued to play for everyone in the room. Severus joined their small conversation when Sam was taking a break for a minute to stretch his arms and legs out.   
  
"McLeery, you play the instrument tolerably well, for an amateur." He said stiffly. Georgie rolled her eyes at him. Praise indeed, Severus!  
  
She put a hand on Sam's shoulder, "He's far better than I am, which I'm afraid is no great compliment." She laughed and felt Sam's muscles tense up and immediately withdrew her hand. She somehow knew it was from Severus' condescending manner that they boy acted so withdrawn. Severus really was awful with the social parts of life. Especially from the standpoint of a child. She wondered if he actually knew any.  
  
She took a hold of the conversation and asked the boy what he'd received for Christmas. The boy shared only half-heartedly and would cast sidelong glances at his Potions Professor who in turn was staring point-blank at the boy coldly.  
  
"Oh, but Sam you'll never guess what Professor Snape got for Christmas!" Sam cocked his head interestedly and ignored Snape's widening-eyes boring into Georgie.  
  
"Really? What?" The dark-haired boy asked with a smirk. Wonder where he gets that from, Georgie pondered....  
  
"I have it on very good authority that he received a purple teddy bear from an old acquaintance. Now what do you think of that!" She looked at Severus triumphantly. He looked incensed right back at her over the boy's head, but didn't say a word.  
  
The boy choked back a laugh and coughed several times to try and restrain his amusement at such a singular gift. "Well, I er, think that that's a lovely Christmas gift. I think any boy in Slytherin, Sir, would be just as ecstatic to receive such a present." Okay, now he was just poking fun in the face of her friend.  
  
"Well, McLeery it's getting very late. Don't you think you ought to run along to bed now?" She asked pointedly, and the student nodded and gathered his things and said his goodbyes.  
  
Georgie got to her feet and hissed in Snape's ear as she walked past him, "Payback. 'Sides, could've been worse. Could've told about the boxers."  
  
Hagrid and Sirius continued to sing gaily in their sprawled position before the fire and Georgie found Minerva listening to them amusedly with a steaming goblet in her hand. Georgie sat down carefully on the couch and just basked in the glow of the fire and the easy conversation around her, but didn't feel the need to join in.  
  
Severus and Dumbledore came towards the seated pair and Dumbledore set down a large but shallow ceramic dish on the table in front of them all. Georgie peered at it and saw it was filled with dried fruits. She looked at Severus and raised her eyebrows in silent petition but he just kept his blank facial expression and stared right back at her with his black eyes. Was he making fun of her? Probably, she admitted.   
  
Albus Dumbledore himself cleared his throat pointedly and drew everyone's attention to what he was about to say. "A-hem, I would just like to draw attention to the game we're about to play. It's an ancient parlour game called Snapdragon and anyone who wishes to join may do so. But I do caution that it is a dangerous game so if you feel not as agile or alert as you usually are--" Looks fell upon Sirius and Hagrid chuckling together on the floor, "--I suggest you refrain from playing." And with that he turned to the bowl and his captive audience turned back to their conversations.   
  
Hermione came over and sat down directly beside Georgie and gave her a half smile and then took her turn to quizzically stare at the dish on the table. Georgie was glad of the presence of the other student, though she'd never let that on. She still didn't 'like' Hermione.  
  
Poppy Pomfrey addled over and sat down on the opposite couch, patting Georgie's knee warmly as she passed. "When I heard the word 'dangerous' I figured I'd better come on over. 'Sides I've heard of this game..." She muttered off, as if trying to recollect what exactly she'd heard about it.  
  
When Flitwick and Madam Hooch had joined the small party (Hooch had to draw up a chair for herself), Severus lifted a cup of bandy he'd held in his hands and just out of sight. Minerva leaned over, "He'd better hide that from Hagrid and Sirius or we'll all be in trouble." Georgie snorted and brought her hand over her mouth as Severus glared at her.   
  
The Potions Professor deftly poured the liquid over the fruits and then Dumbledore said, "The object is to take turns and try and snatch handfuls of the fruit up." Georgie fought back the impulse to snort, but checked herself as right then Severus brought his wand out and lit the dish afire. Oh, she thought to herself.  
  
Professors Vector and Trewlaney called goodnight to the party and let themselves out. Dumbledore announced, "Well, I guess I'll go first, then Severus, then Poppy and so on." Georgie winked at Poppy Pomfrey as the lady flushed at being pointed out.  
  
His wrinkled hand hovered over the flames, then swooped down and lifted out two pieces unscathed, as the flames snapped back at his hand. Georgie smiled at this. Hermione's mouth was to her chin, "Oh, so the dish is the dragon, the flames are like it's teeth...."  
  
Georgie giggled and whispered, "Did you really think it was a real dragon?" Teasing the girl good-naturedly. Hermione chuckled and assented that she hadn't known what to expect.  
  
The headmaster held up his hand and explained the flames weren't really that hot and one just had to be careful not to be greedy and thus get burned. He popped the warmed fruit into his mouth and proclaimed them 'highly edible'.  
  
Severus went next and was able to steal away four, which got everyone's exclamations. By the time it got to Georgie she followed Pomfrey's example and only went for one piece. That was easy enough and as she popped the bit of pear into her mouth she resolved to try and get more next time around.  
  
The gamers continued in this fashion and only Hermione had any sort of mishap as she accidentally singed her free-falling hair as she leaned over the bowl on one turn. But she giggled about it nervously and the rest of the party laughed along with her. Well, except Snape. He scowled at the poor girl.  
  
They all ended up just blowing out the flames and eating the warmed fruit when the hour became very late and peoples' eyelids began to droop. Dumbledore exclaimed that he was off to sleep and most everyone followed his example and left calling Happy Christmases and Goodnights over their shoulders with little waves.  
  
Soon it was only Sirius and Hagrid--both asleep before the fire, Severus and Remus chatting idly on the couch and Hermione and Georgie with their heads together giggling on the other one. After not many minutes had passed Hermione requested that Georgie walk her back to her tower. She fought back the impulse to snort or make fun of the girl, but instead tried her hardest to nod soberly and get to her feet. What a baby!  
  
Hermione admitted that she'd never before been to the Slytherin Common Room passed through and outside. Georgie asked her how it compared to Gryffindor's, to which The Granger Girl explained how Slytherin was grander, had finer things in it, but felt colder. While Gryffindor was brighter; full of plush and worn, homey-like things. But she hurried in that after tonight she thought that with the right company, Slytherin could be warm as well....Georgie secretly puffed up with pride.  
  
When Georgie returned to the lounge Remus was gone and the chairs and glasses were cleared away and only Severus remained leaning back on his couch sipping his wine and reading. "That was quick." She pointed out. As she shut the door behind herself. She heard snores coming from before the fire and she checked herself, realizing it must be Sirius or Hagrid or both of them.  
  
"This is a welcome sight." She sighed as she sank down onto her back on the couch.   
  
Severus set his book down open on his knee. "What is?"  
  
"This." She flung her arms about her and gestured to the walls and everything. "This picture is what I think of when I think of Hogwarts and everything. It's of a fire burning in the fireplace, cold stone walls and you sitting just like that reading on the couch. It's predictable and familiar."  
  
"I'm sure I should say something about being touched on being included in this cheery memory. But I won't." Severus said.  
  
"Well, you might try acting it for my sake." She laughed.  
  
"And I also might try digging for pearls in the ground." He replied sourly.  
  
Georgie hugged her sides, "I've never heard that one!"  
  
His eyes narrowed at her; "You really were sheltered growing up."  
  
She sat up clumsily, "Hey, I can speak, drink and fight in more languages and countries than you could imagine." She gaily wagged a finger at him.  
  
"Acknowledged, yet where is your home, Miss George Flaing?" he shot back at her.  
  
Her smile disappeared, "You're right--something has been lacking, but that's why I'm here now I suppose. It's a start--I'm trying!" She giggled nervously. He had a way of instantly killing all mirth, didn't he?  
  
Suddenly she felt rather sad, and also a bit numb as if nothing mattered--he was right though. His eyes watched her as he sipped from his wine goblet. "Stop watching me, it's creeping me out." She snapped. Whoa, where did that come from? She regretted saying it as soon as it left her lips.  
  
But Severus just slowly set his glass down on the table with a triumphant smirk and breathed, "Fair enough."  
  
She didn't feel like apologizing, and he never did and, well, she just didn't want to.  
  
"Isn't it a strange feeling, Severus?" She tried to sound light-hearted as she steered the subject in a more comfortable location. "Christmas is over. We'll have to wait a whole other year for this. Isn't that just sad? We're as far away from it as we can get." She sighed. Yes, she mused, melancholy would do fine for the next few days.  
  
"I think you're making too much of it. You'll see one hundred more Christmases--maybe more."  
  
"Yes, but it seems an eternity now, from here and from this point in time. 'Sides they are never the same. Who knows? We might not ever be all here again like this! I could get hit by a bus--or you could." She laughed imagining Severus walking anywhere where a bus might frequent. But didn't want to think about her friend not being here next year--wherever she might end up, he had to be right back here where he belonged and where she could always find him.   
  
"I might be in Zanzibar for all I know this time next year." She teased.  
  
"Yes, but you could visit for Christmas." He gave her a long hard look. "Just as Sirius does now."  
  
"Oh, well then!" She laughed uncomfortably and clasped her hands together over-dramatically, "Only if I can get my old room. I don't think I'll have to fight off anyone else for the privilege." She paused and her almond-shaped eyes took on a far-off look. "Still, it wouldn't quite be the same now would it? But these things can't be helped and they are as they are. Let's talk of something else." She looked at him appealingly.  
  
He just stared coolly at her as if trying to read her face or even worse her thoughts. "Cassy has written once again. She asked about many trifling little things, then finally admitted that what she really wanted to know was when to expect us. What say you?"  
  
"Now?" She grinned.  
  
"I think not." He stifled a smile with a short cough.  
  
"Okily, how about....um....now?"  
  
"Georgie."  
  
"Alright. I suppose I'm supposed to say 'whenever would be most convenient with your schedule' and all that, but screw what I'm supposed to say." She said passionately. "Now." She repeated obstinately. "Now, now, now....Bring your teddy and let's go. Hagrid can watch Marco Polo and, that's it--let's go. Now." She loved the idea of going back to his house. It wasn't that it was a warm or cheery place, it was just, well, fascinating.   
  
"Georgie it's half two in the morning. No one is leaving now, but your enthusiasm--besides being a bit frightening..." The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.  
  
"--Ha ha," she interrupted. "It's your house and your life that's going to be torn upside-down. I'm at your beck and call and all that."   
  
He actually snorted at that. "I shouldn't believe a word out of your mouth, I should know better by this time." He ran his hand through his hair absently. "I think that tomorrow will need to be a day of recovery for sleeping and taking head-ache drought for hangovers. How about the day after that?"  
  
"Peachy; fine."  
  
"I'm assuming that means yes." He growled.  
  
"Duh." She rolled her eyes at him.  
  
"I don't know why I put up with you--why I haven't murdered you in your sleep."  
  
"I think that'd be against Dumbledore's rules, don't you think?"  
  
"Just don't push it." He warned, knowing it would do no good.   
  
"I'll pretend I'm listening to you. You pretend I care."  
  
He cracked his knuckles and stretched his arms out before him. Georgie was just about to comment on the state of his bony arms, when he nonchalantly posed before she could open her mouth, "If it wouldn't bother you perhaps I'd ask someone up whom I'd like you to meet."  
  
"Listen, It's your house. I swear I won't drive way any of your acquaintances. Or at least I'll try my damnedest not to scare anyone away.... Severus, I trust your judgement. As long as you don't invite any psycho killers I'm okay with it." She insisted.  
  
"I am a 'psycho killer'."   
  
"No, you're just psychotic--but aren't we all these days." She said. She brought her hands up to her hair and arranged it up into a Minerva-like bun at the nape of her neck. "I could kill you, you know." She looked him in the eye stalwartly.   
  
"Could you." He raised his eyebrows as a gesture for her to continue, rather surprised at the sudden change in the conversation.  
  
"I could." She paused for a moment. "If I had to." She blinked at him.  
  
His eyes darkened, but he didn't comment. She had said it because she knew he'd been thinking her too soft for a long time now. He looked at her for a long, uncomfortable minute. Then his features relaxed and he shrugged, "That's good to know. You do realize I would do the same."  
  
She nodded slowly, then smirked slyly. "Look on the bright side--you're obviously immune to any head injuries."  
  
He sat forward and raised his arms to the ceiling in a gesture of exasperation "And to think she's come so far without her leash."  
  
She laughed at his attempt to make fun of her, then burped. "Ew, tastes like...hum, did I eat strawberries?"  
  
"That is repulsive."  
  
She bowed grandiosely. "'Tis all for your amusement."  
  
"I cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you."  
  
"Likewise."  
  
"You should go to bed." He cocked his head in the direction of her door.  
  
"What and leave you out here to wallow in your morbid thoughts and self-pitying? I think not. I want a go at it. You have to learn to share sooner or later."  
  
He actually allowed a smile to slip by unguarded, and took up his glass again. Georgie took that as a kindly acknowledgement for her to stay--though she'd have probably stayed anyhow to annoy him. She plucked a loose cushion up and hugged it in her arms as she rested her chin on the top of it, humming to herself.  
  
"I take it that you're not going to let me finish this book tonight then, is it?" He picked the book up from his lap, closed it and laid it delicately down on the table. "What are you thinking then?" He prodded her.  
  
She didn't need much though, "Heaps of things. Like what exactly are the good things in life, and what are we all cut out to be and do and all that. I'm also thinking about Butterbeers and Chocolate Frogs and Diet Coke. What is this life anyway? And why do I have clear skin for 20 years then suddenly my face erupts?!" She roared.  
  
"Ah, the really important questions...." Severus leaned back, putting his hands behind his head.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"No, really. I can answer those all in as much time as you took to ask them." He took a sitting stance as if he were a doctor giving a lecture on the finer points of surgery. "The good things in life are interactions and passions. Not those passions you dunderhead! Chocolate Frogs, Butterbeers and Diet Coke equal spots on your face, not to mention stress and worrying. What we're all cut out to DO is our best, what we're all cut out to BE is different from those around us."  
  
"Candy-assed answers! You didn't answer anything at all!" She whined with a smile.  
  
"Yes I did. I didn't say I subscribed to them. Anything beyond those vague things and you're getting into schematics and philosophies."  
  
"You have an interesting perspective on things, Severus. You could describe the most exquisite sunshine-filled day and turn it into a formulaic dissertation on sunburns."  
  
"I'm at a loss as to how to respond to that--though I don't think I deserve that censure."  
  
"You're right, you don't." She didn't know if she'd gone too far that time, so she was relieved to see a twinkle in his eyes behind the cold glare. "Do you want to play chess?"  
  
"You don't." He pointed out.  
  
"True, but that's just because I'm awful. I want to play, so will you just agree?"  
  
Severus looked skeptical, but cast a summoning charm and his own well-worn set pushed through the half-shut door to his own room.  
  
Severus busied himself with setting up the scattered pieces, "So Sirius told me that you have a new friend named Michael." He didn't look up at her as he spoke.  
  
"Yup, Michael's nice--met him in the Three Broomsticks. Lotsa gals fancy him." She teased unabashedly.  
  
"I don't ever remember having him as one of my students. Is he a wizard?"  
  
Georgie saw where this was going, and bit her lip, "Yes, he's a wizard. And he went to school in Germany or someplace--not Durmstrang. I'll ask him if you'd like to know for sure."  
  
"So, do you, fancy him?" Severus was having an obvious hard time of the conversation, and Georgie wasn't about to make things any easier--it was fun to watch him squirm! He who always knew the answers, was always in control, always had a plan....  
  
"Yes. I like him, he's a great guy. We're meeting in Hogsmeade when school starts up again." Of course she could have mentioned that Michael's girlfriend was to be included in the number, but no...  
  
"Oh, I see." Severus was spending an awful long time setting the pawns precisely in the center of their squares. "I never could understand the physical fascinations people cling to. It's all just flesh and pigment serving as a mask to cover up our impulses, emotions and shortcomings. Nothing will last of all that you see." He spoke slowly and with plenty of disdain which wasn't lost on his friend.  
  
"Lord, you'd make an awful girlfriend." She laughed at him merrily.  
  
"I'm taking that as a compliment--no matter how it was meant." He looked at her stonily for emphasis.   
  
Georgie piped up cheerfully--perhaps too cheerfully, "Okay, you'll have to tell me where to move, okay."  
  
Severus blinked at her blankly as she positioned herself kneeling across the board from him. "Alright, move that one, there," He pointed. "Then I move. Now that one to that square--no the one next to it--the black one!" She really was awful at chess--she knew enough about the game--the pieces, the moves and everything--but she really wasn't very good competition. It was just that she'd never sat still long enough as a child to actually learn the rules. And now she really wasn't listening as she followed Severus' exact orders on the board.  
  
Severus was continuing on, "Now I go, then you go there, then I go and.... Checkmate."  
  
"What?" She looked sharply at the board, and yes indeed....as incredible as she found it to be. She hadn't been paying attention and Severus had in only a handful of moves checkmated her. She hopped to her feet. "I trusted you!" She accused with her hand on her hips, leaning over the board to tower over his sitting form trying to look daunting.   
  
He laughed a genuine laugh for several seconds, which only seemed to nettle her further.  
  
"Why's that so funny? That I'd be so foolish as to trust you!" She had been just joking about the game loss--who the devil cares anyway? But about her trust...that wasn't a laughing matter as far as she could tell.  
  
Severus managed to compose himself and drew himself up onto his feet and took his turn at towering above another. Georgie certainly wasn't frightened of Severus anymore, but still...when, he stood like that, it sort of commanded attention in a strange sort of way. "I wasn't laughing at you, little fool. I was laughing at the face you made. You looked so shocked--you really ought to pay attention." He became serious once more.  
  
"I didn't have to--you were supposed to do it for me," She pouted.  
  
"Learn from it then. Now would you like to play a real game? I'll only help you if you ask for it--and I doubt you'll ask for it," He muttered dryly under his breath.  
  
She reluctantly sat down and they played and chatted for an hour more. Severus was intently studying the board and Georgie was prattling off about some student in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class when she broke off lazily. Severus plopped his piece down with finality and looked up at his friend to show that he was indeed listening to her. But she had fallen asleep mid-sentence.   
  
He brought his long thin hand up and rested his chin in his hand lazily as he watched her. He figured he should eventually relocate her to her own private chamber--it was the polite thing to do, he rationalized. Especially seeing how Sirius and Hagrid were snoring a few paces away. But he just didn't feel up to the task at that second. Instead he lifted up his discarded book and set it open on his lap, but he couldn't focus.  
  
It was a mixture of so many things in his life these days. It would have been so much easier if it were just one thing: He could declare war on it and destroy it or banish it from his life. But no, life was never that simple. His mind reluctantly swung around to the dangerous game he was playing with the Dark Lord Voldemort and how the quiet of the past few weeks were slowly unraveling his nerves. The old saying that 'no news is good news' obviously wasn't in his line of work. Only Voldemort's followers who were in the so-called 'Inner Circle' knew that they were wholly trusted--that the Dark Lord could summon them at any moment. It was horrible Severus assented, but at the same time, comforting. At least then he knew his fate was secure.  
  
Other things distressed his mind, but to lesser extents. For twenty years now Severus had been quite miserable though very accustomed to his life and his routine. He liked being miserable. Now, chaos ruled thanks to Georgie, though he admitted he allowed more than he ever would have before. So it was fully his fault. Perhaps it was just time for change. The universe, the very stars above were always in a constant state of change and flux: why should his miniscule and insignificant life be any different? How foolish to try and defy nature, he frowned hard.  
  
But he was still anxious about how easily he could change. Granted nobody in ever so long had even attempted to get through to him, still how could he become so different so fast? So soft? At one point in his life he thought he could remember someone trying to break through to him, someone he thought might have cared for his person, but like the rest of his life he was assuming too much, and he was once again left alone and cold. He didn't even like to think about those days, and attempted to adopt Georgie's philosophy of only thinking about good memories and forgetting those that brought pain. She was so naive, but at least it happened to work for him for that moment.  
  
At least when he was cold and held people at arm's length he wasn't plagued by the problems and questions he saw forming in his mind. He surmised he really ought to make an effort to revert back to the old Severus. It would be safer for himself and for those around him if it was widely known that he didn't prefer anyone else in the wide world--no connections. No people close to him.   
  
But just as soon as that thought reared it's ugly head, another took it's place which amused Severus enough to actually make him smile slightly to himself. Georgie wouldn't have that. She'd consider it as a challenge or even as a game to get back the Severus she'd become a friend with. No, that was not an option at this time, and he was almost proud of his friend for her steadiness and stubbornness. Yet, he detested it in the same breath...dangerous.  
  
He looked at her with her head down on her chest snoring away quietly. Setting his book aside once more he reckoned he should 'put her away' for the night. The corner of his mouth twitched and his cold eyes bore through her. So like a pet. He got to his feet stiffly and came around the table to stand above her. He bent down and lifted her to her feet when she tottered and swayed dangerously. He steadied her with his hand then put his thin arms around her and lifted her up. He checked himself from snorting aloud as the thought that she was more like an unruly child in his bachelor-life. Well, it was quite late and this child was almost drooling on his shoulder. He frowned at himself for allowing her to stay up so late as to reach that degree of exhaustion. But then again she wasn't a child--he really had to stop thinking and treating her like that and on those terms. Then again, she really ought to stop giving him reason to think that way.  
  
Striding carefully over to her door he leaned up against it as he managed to work the door open enough to push it open with his weight. Stepping inside the completely blackened room, he waited for his eyes to adjust before proceeding. Gliding forward he maneuvered his way around the large boulder that in the morning would prove to be Marco Polo, then almost immediately after tripped on something long and thin. Why in the world did she feel the need to bring what felt like a hockey stick to Hogwarts? He set her down on the bed where she flipped over on her side in her sleep. He brought the coverlets up to cover her arms, but stopped with a curious look on his face.  
  
He stood over her unconscious form as his mind raced back to another time. She's only 21. Merlin's sake, Lily was her age when she died protecting Harry. Yet Severus could see great differences in the two. The girl before him was so different in circumstances and temperament--yet they were both strangely similar. Lily had been married to James for years and had Harry by that age--Lily had never wanted grand things for herself. She had been happy with life until it had been cruelly torn from her--it might as well have been by his own hand. "So like Lily...." He mouthed.  
  
But Georgie wanted things, he smiled. That had to be the greatest difference between the two. Georgie was a Slytherin whether she liked to admit it or not. But she was good; Severus couldn't explain it any better than that she was a truly good witch. And a good girl to top it off. A flawed person, but good.  
  
He shook his head to clear his head, then gathered enough of his wits about him to realize he shouldn't still be standing there beside her bed. He crept back the way he came and shut the door behind him.  
  
As he sat down he reprimanded himself once more--he shouldn't think of her as a girl, for reasons beyond the fact that it nettled Georgie. No, she was a witch and an adult, and more importantly a friend to many people now. It was disrespectful he knew, but at the same time--she was so like a ball of energy! Her energy radiated youthfulness--he guessed she'd still be that way when fifty years had passed and more. It annoyed him at times though. Also inwardly he realized that for years he applied to the word 'girl' the very undeserved connotation meaning frivolous and feminine.   
  
He'd use it as an insult whenever anyone was really happy in his presence--Minerva hated him for it while in the same breath Poppy loved it because she assumed Professor Snape was just slyly commenting on how youthful she looked.  
  
He took his book up and waved the fire off into nothingness as he strode to his own rooms. Once inside he began his nightly ritual of washing up, dressing for bed and scribbling in a magically locked journal. It was more out of habit then sentiment. He never went back over them unless some emergency sprang up and it was needed. It brought closure to his days and his work when he could write about it and recall the progress he'd made. At least his journal would know he was alive and would miss him if he were dead.  
  
Pushing out his chair away from his desk he made his way to the bed and once there, hastily threw back the covers. His mouth twisted at what met his eyes there in the dark. There with it's stuffed head on Severus' pillow lay the teddy bear Cassy had given him, the same bear he'd sneaked off and tried to dispose of in an empty classroom's rubbish bin that afternoon. He snatched it up with a sigh of exasperation, "Georgie," then noticed a piece of parchment tied around it's neck.   
  
It read: Dear Sevvy, Do you not love me? Am I not a cute bear? Why have you banished me thus? I will try harder to please you and make you feel warm and squishy and happy and content. I live to give you hugs and to greet you on your bed every night. My name is Nadolig and please don't make me leave. There was a nasty sort of ghost who had found me and was smashing my head on the corner of the doorjamb in a classroom. Thank you. P.S. Hug me please?!  
  
Severus was almost too dumbfounded to react. Even in her sleep she managed to be obnoxious. Well, it was too late to get rid of the thing now, so he settled for hurling it maliciously into the darkened corner.  
  
Sleep came finally to the man lying in the curtained bed, shivering against the cold of his own preference. But he didn't rest easily; nightmares and a heavy conscience plagued him, much as they always did....  
  
  
  
  
When he awoke the next morning it wasn't to the sound of her raucous laughter or screeching voice--it was to wonderful and full silence. He had missed that, he realized upon swinging his feet down to the bare floor and relishing the freeze that met his skin. He lazily draped his robe about his shoulders as he washed up and changed into his clothing for the day. He stared at himself in the mirror and touched at the black circles under his eyes, then smirked--that was something new. Usually he just felt drained, but today he looked it as well. Had he been another person, lived another life, he might have taken steps to remedy this....but Severus Snape wasn't another person.  
  
He appeared a few minutes later in the lounge and for the sake of the slobbering Sirius and Hagrid still encamped on the hearth, began a roaring fire. He wasn't about to attempt to move Hagrid--he wasn't that daft, and he imagined he was doing no harm.  
  
He heard Georgie coughing in her room which didn't surprise him as it was already late in the day. He waited several minutes to see of she'd appear, but on her second fit of coughing he got to his feet. He didn't really have a reason for the action, but he continued on anyway and knocked briskly on her door.  
  
"Are you alright?" He thought fast. "I heard you coughing."  
  
"Noooo...."  
  
He waited a moment for her to elaborate. "Do you need something?" He was about to back away and go off in search of food when she piped up, "Come on in; it's stupid to be yelling through the door."  
  
He opened the door and quickly went inside leaving it open behind him. She apparently was still in her bed with the curtains drawn. Severus' eyes narrowed. "Are you awake?"  
  
"I've been awake for hours..." She replied in a garbled manner.  
  
"Is there anything wrong then?" He felt that this was overstepping boundaries and probably could be construed as nosiness.  
  
"I'm dying."  
  
He snorted as he went around to where her voice originated. "Excellent--it'll save me the trouble of killing you."  
  
"Can't you just die, damnit!" She moaned.  
  
Severus caught at the edge of the curtains and threw them wide open.   
  
Georgie hissed shrinking away from the light and grabbed up the pillow smashing it into her face while trying to dive under the covers in the same instant.  
  
Severus laughed lightly to himself. Oh, so that's her problem.....  
  
"I'm dying." She screeched accusingly through her pillow. "I'm dying and you're here laughing at me!"  
  
"Oh course; I wouldn't miss this for the world." He bent down and tried to wrestle the pillow off of her face.  
  
When he succeeded he held it out of her reach and pointed out, "You would find today a great day--lots of mischief to cause and all that--havoc to wreak and lots of time to do it in, if you were to get up. I can make you up a draught and maybe--just maybe--you will survive this rare malady."  
  
She opened her eyes and brought her hand to her forehead, "Aren't you a fucking ray of sunshine?" She glared at him, then winced in pain.  
  
Though Severus clearly was enjoying her hangover, he stalked off and returned with a large glass of water offering it to her. "Drink this."  
  
She sat up and obediently followed his orders, though she didn't feel like drinking anything else, ever. When she had finished he took the glass away and she tried to dive back down under her blankets, but he caught her arm and hauled her up to her feet. She was still wearing the same clothes from the night before and her hair was disheveled beyond belief. His mouth twitched as he struggled to keep from laughing at the pitiable figure she made.  
  
"Come with me," He slowly dragged her from her room and into his. "I've got just the thing for you." He said in a very professional manner. He left her standing in the center of the room as he opened his cabinets and began to take out two or three small vials.   
  
"Excellent, he's going to poison me." She spoke to no one in particular. "Actually I don't ruddy care what he does--I'm already dying!" She whined.  
  
"Always the dramatics, Georgie." He threw over his shoulder at her, to which she curtsied insolently.   
She followed him to the wall and watched as he popped the tops off a couple of the vials and mixed them in a little bowl. Then when the top open cupboard caught her eyes she slumped over to stand in front of it and examine its contents. It was usually shut up--she'd never really checked to see if it was locked or not, but as she'd never required anything beyond what was available in Severus' store cabinet, she'd never looked in it.  
  
"Um, Severus? I think these six here are illegal in Britain and nearly everywhere else, and those two over there are still experimental. Why ever would you have them?" She picked one glass up and turned it around in front of her nose.  
  
"I'm the Potions Master. They are potions." He said simply.  
  
She turned around and stared at him, "Uh-huh."  
  
"Actually there's not much anyone would deny someone in my position here at Hogwarts." He spoke so nonchalantly, Georgie wished she were close enough to throttle him. " And besides those two I developed."  
  
"Hmm," She nodded and went back to the cabinet with her mind racing away. She tucked that bit of new information away in her mind for careful scrutiny later on.   
  
"Here you go." He came up behind her and thrust a foul-smelling glass in her face.  
  
"If this is the cure, I'll take the disease." She murmured and attempted to push it back to him, but Severus insisted.  
  
He sneered at her, and of his many contemptuous faces that was the one she disliked the most. "Don't you trust me?"  
  
"No." And with that she lifted the glass to her lips and drank all of its contents.  
  
He watched her face convulse when she had done. "Holy Merlin's sake--that's foul!" She gasped, gagged and burped loudly.  
  
"Yes, but it works." He walked away with the empty glass and started in on tidying up his small worktable and put stoppers in the vials.  
  
She felt a cooling feeling spread throughout her body almost instantly. "Funny, but I do feel better...." She acknowledged and joined him in the cleaning up. "Thank you," she said as soon as she caught his eye.  
  
He looked at her and smiled a second and nodded before turning his back on her to put the vials back on the shelf.   
  
Georgie seated herself atop the worktable and swung her legs back and forth. "Yes, I do feel much better." She smiled. "What was that then?"  
  
"Family secret."  
  
"Couldn't tell me?" She pried.  
  
"You're not family." He rolled his eyes as he shut the cabinet's creaking doors back up and crossed over to stand beside her.  
  
"Marry me?" She laughed and grabbed up Severus hand.  
  
"No." He sneered.  
  
"Puh-lease?" She teased.  
  
"No." He nearly laughed himself. "You'll only want to sell it to make money."  
  
She snapped her fingers resignedly, "Damn, you know me only too well." She kicked her legs out even further and Severus watched her movements, "That's the last time I try and get romantic with you Severus Snape!" She pretended to balk.  
  
He ruffled her hair up a bit with his hand, "You're a Slytherin Georgie." As if that explained everything! "Besides if that's the best you can do romantically I think you need a helping hand even more than I do." He took hold of her hand ignoring her shocked face. "Let's go find something to eat." He yanked her to her feet.  
  
Her expression softened. Yes, Severus thought, Georgie is truly one governed by her stomach.  
  
  
  
  
  
They had found food down in the kitchens and dined on soup and fresh baked bread with clotted cream, perfect food for a slow wintry day Georgie had pointed out. When they exited the secret tunnel just outside the entrance to the Slytherin Common room Georgie was trying to get Severus to explain how if she'd drank a glass or two of water before sleeping she would have not had the headache.   
  
"But I've never been hungover before!" She insisted as they stepped through the door. "I'm going soft." She muttered under her breath.   
  
"If that's soft for you, I shudder to even imagine what you were like before." As they entered the lounge Severus signaled for her to keep her voice down and pointed towards the fireplace. She wandered over to see what he was pointing at and sniggered when it was only the sleeping forms of Sirius and Hagrid. Severus reappeared with the book Georgie had gotten him in his hand and settled himself on the couch.  
  
"Ach, It's afternoon already--they'd be better off getting up." She announced. She bent over them and howled, "Wake up!" She prodded Sirius with her toe and tried to push over Hagrid bulky frame, to no avail.  
  
Severus watched her over his book with a blank look and a masked curiosity. The men grunted at the disturbances, but didn't awaken. Georgie seemed spurred on by this and in a frenzied state jumped on them both and tried to pull them to their feet. "Good morning! Wakey wakey!"  
  
"You know, that's not being very nice." Severus called over to her keeping his eyes on his page.  
  
"I'll try being nicer if you try being smarter."  
  
"Ouch!" He pretended to be hurt. "They're out cold. Why don't you let them be for a minute or two more? If they snore too loudly you can just sit back and blast them lightly with your wand." Really his motives were selfish--he wished for a peaceful atmosphere to read his book in.  
  
She allowed herself to be swayed by his suggestion, "Always a magical solution--how lazy I'm becoming. It's all thanks to you, you know!" She collapsed on the couch and put her feet up on the arm.  
  
"If you want to think that way, I can't stop you." He replied drolly.  
  
"You're no fun."  
  
He sighed deeply, "I know."  
  
Georgie sobered quickly. "I was only joking." She forced a smile. "Really, I think you're perfectly marvelous! Really darling!" She gushed in a false posh accent.  
  
"You're a fool Georgie," He pronounced bitterly. He was still reading his book as the conversation progressed.  
  
"Yes, but I'm a happy fool. And so long as this fool is content with the knowledge of her own being a fool, what right has anyone to try and persuade one to change?"  
  
"Ignorance is bliss until you end up in an early grave."  
  
"True, but who's talking about graves?"  
  
"I am." Severus now stared at her.  
  
"Well stop it." She stared even back at him, all traces of mirth now gone.  
  
"I can't." He dragged his hands through his hair. "You need to be taught."  
  
"I'm all ready omniscient, what else do I need to know?" She goaded.  
  
"So many things..."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Survival."  
  
"And you're so great at it?"  
  
"I'm alive aren't I?" She bit her tongue to keep from making any snide remarks.  
  
"I suppose you are...so what will you teach me Master Yoda?"  
  
"Pardon? What did you call me?"  
  
"Oh, Yoda's this fab little guy who teaches the Force. An all-knowing guru guy--he can lift rocks, I'll have you know. With his mind."  
  
Severus snorted and dismissed her sidetracking. "In all seriousness, I'd prefer to know that you were able to handle yourself." When she didn't appear convinced, he tacked on gruffly, "Humor me."  
  
"Can't hurt." She shrugged. "So will it be karate or judo then?"  
  
"Dark Arts."  
  
Her open mouth twitched as her mind scrambled to answer. "Oh....didn't expect that one." She blurted out. "I'd prefer judo."  
  
"As would I. What is it they say: To understand the criminal mind, you must think as the criminal does." She nodded in understanding. He examined the palm of his hands idly and with one finger flipped at the edges of the book's pages. "I'll not teach you Auror skills or any of that nonsense," (Georgie bit her tongue from asking him how he really felt about it). "Rather just a practical, every-man's sort of defense. As knowledge is the first defense, we can begin there. I'll not have you delving very deep at all into any of my books or practicing the Dark Arts--only what I teach you. Hogwarts may be one of the safest havens in the world, while at the same time it enjoys the status of being the most sought-after stronghold. "  
  
"So, why all this then?" She had been dying to slip that in. Why her, why now? Why any of this?  
  
"Well, to tell the truth, this wasn't my idea. Albus and I were speaking and he believes that with the friends you keep, you're bound to inherit some enemies--"  
  
"Friends namely Severus and Albus and Sirius." He glared at her as she interrupted.  
  
"Precisely." Among others. He picked his book back up and found where he had left off and began to read again.  
  
"Why not the rest of the students then? I know you'd rather not hear it--but Harry Potter needs lessons in defense more than I ever will."  
  
Without lifting his eyes. "Potter is surrounded by spells, Ministry Officials, and other methods of safeguarding that will keep him far better than a simple knowledge of Dark Arts will ever do." Besides, he's still very much the helpless child. Albeit a very lucky child.  
  
"Are you quite finished?" She demanded, her temper never long-suffering. She knew that her education in Poland probably had something to do with this decision--she wasn't up to snuff with the other graduated witches and wizards. They were all probably laughing up their sleeves at how ill-prepared she was.  
  
"Yes."  
  
She got to her feet and headed towards the door to the Common Room.  
  
"Where are you off to?" Severus asked causing her to pause.  
  
"To hang myself." She spat.  
  
"Have a lovely time. But do realize it won't be that bad. We'll begin soon and it'll be over and done with before you realize it. Not painful at all."  
  
"Hell," she muttered and tromped out the door. As if she had a choice. No, she would go talk to someone who could tell her what she really wished to know, and help her make some sense out of why she should be so singled out. She climbed the staircases until she was halted by the need to speak a password, "Sugar Quills," and with that she stepped onto the staircase that brought her to the headmaster.  
  
  
  
  
  
Remus passed Georgie the butter, "Well, technically it's not the end of the holidays. There are twelve days of Christmas and today's St. Stephen's Day and Boxing Day..."  
  
"Lord, Lupin, Get your mind out of Ireland." She winked and a slow painful flush crept up his neck at the mention of the Irish National holiday. "But if I try and drag Christmas any further along, I'll be doing so alone and much to the chagrin of everyone who think that 364 days aren't long enough between them."  
  
Remus composed himself and spoke in hushed tones aside to Georgie, "So you're coming to Severus' as well?"  
  
She looked at him, "Yes, and I didn't know you were coming."  
  
"I am. I spent a week visiting him this past summer there. Severus was foul-tempered and dominating the entire time." He chuckled. "Couldn't imagine him as being otherwise... Still, it was a restful visit after all. We had some good talk that week--got to know each other better than we had after 20 years."  
  
"You know, there's heaps I want to ask you about--just not here." She looked around herself casually. For some odd reason she'd dreamt about Lily Potter--Harry's mother. It kind of frightened her as she hadn't a clue who that women might be, and had only ever heard of her in passing.  
  
"Anytime. Really, all it takes is to get us crotchety old bachelors to sit still long enough, then thrust a cup of tea into our hands and we can prattle away like busybody old women..."  
  
"You're not old."   
  
"I'm glad you think so."  
  
"Everyone thinks so." She said with meaning.  
  
"So, what'll we end up doing on the island?" Remus tried to steer the conversation. Georgie couldn't get enough of teasing and hinting at his relationship of sorts, but it appeared to her that he'd had enough of it for the moment. Georgie reflected that perhaps this was for the best as who knows who might be listening in. "I'm sure Severus will be abominable and we'll have to sit in front of the Telly to amuse ourselves."  
  
"I hope it doesn't come down to that--" She burped. "I, for one, will come up with something--anything--to do, especially if this weather keeps up."  
  
"Glad to hear it," He poured himself a fresh drink from the pitcher on the table.  
  
"Wait, there's a Telly?! Bastard never told me..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Georgie was by herself in her room messing with Marco Polo and throwing a spare pair of jeans and a few shirts onto her knapsack. She had attempted earlier to get him into the bath, as well he was a Sea Turtle. Whenever her back was turned he'd clamber out onto the tiles again. "What is it? Afraid of water, are we?" She asked it. He just wasn't a normal turtle she figured, but that didn't mean he still wasn't fabulous.   
  
Marco Polo was a great low-maintenance pet as he slept nearly all the time and was admired for being so rare. A wonderful attention-grabbing pet, she admitted. No one else would have anything to compare with him. She wondered a few things: how long he'd live was one of them. Another was what he was supposed to be eating. Hagrid had told her to feed him plants, but he was so big...what if he needs meat? Another question that she quickly banished to the back of her mind was if she could get him to speak: cast a spell or something. She'd ask Minerva discreetly, but she didn't really believe it to be a great idea.  
  
"So many possibilities..." She murmured to herself.  
  
She honestly didn't know how she felt about leaving Marco Polo with Hagrid. Hagrid was a great friend and, well he loved his fearsome creatures, but what if one of them munched on Marco? Snorting, she could have slapped herself. Here she was, only having Marco Polo for two days and she was acting like a mother hen. Hagrid knew she'd disembowel him if anything happened to Marco Polo.   
  
Why Severus didn't want 'that thing' at his house was a mystery to her. Perhaps he wasn't fond of scaly things. Made so very much sense, seeing as how he was in Slytherin and Voldemort was a living snake himself, yeah, a hell of a lot of sense, she argued with herself.  
  
Georgie snatched up her wand, and rendered Marco Polo impervious to water to account for the weather, which was blustery at the least, she then cast a spell to make him lighter. She'd drag him behind her and drop him off at Hagrid's crazy cabin.  
  
Marco Polo looked so pathetic floating through the air behind her. Out the doors and across the frozen grounds, he kept trying to move his fins as if trying to get away. Georgie , 'Aw'-ed and simpered at him and apologized, but if she were to wait for him to make it on his own power, she'd only be to the castle door by dawn.  
  
She knocked at Hagrid's door and peeked inside the cheery glowing windows just as he came to the door.  
  
"Georgie! Come on in! Nah, don't stand out there--it's freezin' and you'll be catchin' yer death of a cold!" He ushered her quickly inside and then his eyes fell on the poor dangling turtle.  
  
"Ah, hello to Marco Polo 'gain. How's 'e doin'?" He asked of Georgie but never took his eyes off the shinning shell.  
  
"He's great. No problems at all--I think he's just a bit cold--he likes to lie down before fires--an odd turtle." Georgie explained quickly.  
  
"So we all do, yup, we all do." His eyes regained their focus, "You should get summat warm ter drink in ya before you go out again in the cold. Just you wait a minute and I'll get the kettle on." He thundered off the few paces to the far wall of his cabin.  
  
Georgie settled herself on a chair before the enormous, Hagrid-sized fire. "Hey Hagrid?" He turned his head to look at her. "Did you know Harry's mum?"  
  
"Did I know Harry's mum?! Of course! They were famous--ev'rybody loved the Potters! James was the kindest wizard--so smart an' friendly! Now, Harry's mum Lily was the most beautiful girl in all of Hogwarts in that day! Turned many a-head with 'er red hair and 'er fiery temper. Better people you'd never seen!"  
  
"So, what was she like? What were her pursuits and all that?" Georgie pushed.  
  
Hagrid narrowed his eyes down at her, "Why do you want to know all this? Yer soundin' like Harry--asking after 'em like that."   
  
"I had a dream about Lily--I think it was a dream, but I usually don't dream. It could've just been that someone was talking about the Potters last night when it was really late and I confused dreaming with being half-awake. I'm trying to figure out why she was on my mind at all--I mean, someone I don't even know and who's...well, gone. Anyway, I'm curious: what was she like?"  
  
"A loving gal--beautiful too. Gryffindor of course," His chest puffed up, but Georgie set aside her annoyance. "Helped out with the younger students' schoolwork, She was Head Girl too. She always had an eye out fer that James Potter, though. And 'e adored 'er. Most ev'ryone knew they'd end up together. It was wonderful..." His eyes misted over. Oh, Lord....Georgie wasn't exactly the most sympathetic of souls.....  
  
"They stood by Dumbledore throughout the lot of that business--loyal to 'im, they were. It's always the good ones that die young...."  
  
Georgie muttered something consoling and trite, though she couldn't remember what it was afterwards. Just the obligatory words needed, she felt.  
  
Hagrid went on for what seemed like hours about Potters present and past and Georgie made a polite effort to look interested and interject questions of clarification every now and then. When enough time had passed Georgie rose and gave an excuse that she needed to get back to her room to finish some packing and mix up a potion before leaving. She'd gotten most of what she came for. Hagrid was on his feet and enveloped Georgie in his tree-trunk-sized arms in a quick, embarrassed hug. Georgie had to check herself from fleeing at top speed back to the castle.  
  
She literally kicked open the door to the lounge, Severus glanced at her sharply, but didn't reprimand her.  
  
"Isn't it odd when it's high winter and it's dark out by afternoon-time? Then it's mad because the sky is never really black, even at night--it's always a sort of hazy, grayish, dumpy color that hangs around over the land. It's probably low storm clouds, that's all, but still it's odd and a creepy neither here nor there sort of atmosphere."  
  
Severus snorted at her tirade. "Weather affects you so much."  
  
"No. I'm just saying it's odd, that's all. It's just even the daylight's so damn bleak. It's a Wintery Purgatory of sorts."  
  
"You have a vivid way with words, Georgie."  
  
She bowed and collapsed on the couch, all arms and legs. "I like that you're always reading."  
  
"Why?" He looked at her suspiciously, then coming to his senses, his tone softened. "I like reading as well. Has nothing to do with you. Just with you around, I hardly ever get a chance to do it."  
  
She bit her lip and grinned sheepishly, before returning to her feet. "Oops."  
  
She tiptoed to her door, and Severus stopped her there. "I didn't mean you had to leave."  
  
Thinking quickly she came up with an excuse to save her from looking silly. "Okily, well, I was just going to grab my guitar." He stared after her expressionless for a minute then turned his attention back to the book.  
  
She returned with her guitar and propped up pillows against her back, trying not to speak out loud or make too much noise. She finally started on a very quiet song and sneaked a glance at the Professor as he was reading. He looked very relaxed and not as tense as he had in the past few days. Christmas must be difficult for him, she surmised--the whole family togetherness and being nice to the fellow man bit as well.  
  
She played for what seemed like a long time--her arms became increasingly stiff, and so at length she ceased.  
  
"You know what I hate?" She asked sharply.  
  
"What?" He was so relaxed so as to forget to snap at her.  
  
"I hate pretense. Why can't people say what they mean, and be as they are? It would save us all a lot of trouble."  
  
"Anyone in particular this applies to?" His eyebrows arched up and the corners of his mouth tightened.  
  
"Actually no. I was just thinking along the lines of 'a perfect world' and all that. You know what else?"  
  
"No. What?"   
  
"I hate when people say something big to someone and the other person goes like, 'me too'. I hate that."  
  
"What qualifies as 'something big'?"   
  
"Not like, 'I like red' but something emotional or the like. You follow?" She squinted in his direction as she laid her guitar aside.  
  
"Actually I really can't even fathom where you're going with this."  
  
"At least I'll never suspect you of pretense or duplicity. Okay...." She sighed, and stretched out her arms above her head, obviously searching for the right words to say. "Well, it's as if the first person had to stick their neck out to even utter the words. They're earth shattering, important words or dialogue--probably deeply embarrassing or personal. Then the second person just merely agrees with the statement--even if it just so happens to be true. It's sort of a cop-out coming from the second person. To just get that short, 'yeah, me too' sort of answer, you know?"  
  
"Georgie I really don't." He smiled weakly.  
  
She scratched her cheek idly and heaved a great breath out--as if she had been holding it, "Okay, for instance, say I tell you that even though I thought you were a psychotic, sadistic freak of nature; that still most of the time I'm glad you were around rather than not, and erm, well, that you're kinda....okay." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, and didn't meet his level gaze. Severus was gratified at the amount of discomfort she was experiencing. "Well, if you were to go, 'you too,' than that would be cheating, you know? Like one person had to dig down and muster up the initial words and the other person just gets a sort of acknowledgement sort of reply. I hate it--that's not fair."  
  
"Yes, I suppose it would make the first person rather uncomfortable...I do see what you mean now." Severus tried to look serious as he feigned just then grasping what she was speaking of. "But why dwelling on the 'hates' today?"  
  
She shrugged, "As good a day as any."  
  
He frowned, clearly disapproving. "You sound dangerously like I do." He paused for effect. "That's not a compliment."  
  
"Is that a reflection of my need for change or yours then?"  
  
He smiled a second at her, "Good." He turned his head and gazed at the solitary window their dungeon room afforded, set high in the wall--almost at the ceiling.  
  
"You can't just leave it like that." Georgie insisted  
  
"Yes I can, and I just did." Severus replied gravely.  
  
"Be difficult; suit yourself," She muttered lowly.  
  
Severus turned his attention to the book and Georgie got to her feet, sliding her wand out of her pocket to banish her guitar away. She coughed as she padded her way to her room in her dirty slippers. Severus was...well, he was something entirely foreign to her, but at the same time his sarcasm and skirting the issues suited her when she didn't feel up to a serious discussion.  
  
Georgie felt suddenly exhausted and barely felt the clock in her hands as she wound it and endeavored to slip on her nightgown while at the same time clumsily clambering into her great bed. She shivered momentarily and beyond that she felt and remembered nothing. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen New Faces and Lessons

Chapter 19-New Faces and Lessons  
  
She awoke early in the morning and with an excitement that she always felt on days when she had something particularly interesting to do or a place to go.  
  
Severus however remained calm and outwardly unaffected by the enthusiasm of his friends: with Georgie prancing and laughing and the quiet smiles of Remus Lupin nettling him for some reason. She'd somehow managed to transfigure a couch cushion into a bagpipe and having never played before, belted out a screeching, wailing rendition of Scotland the Brave, before he could stun her repeatedly into stopping.  
  
Severus had insisted once again for the blindfold, and Georgie had lashed out against the injustice of it, as he'd snarled at her and roughly tightened the silken cloth over her eyes. Remus bit his lip to keep from laughing as Severus walked a few paces away and told her that he had just then fitted Remus' blindfold on as well. Remus shook his head in mock- disapproval, and Severus glared at the other man sharply, as if a warning to not say a word.  
  
Before he realized it they all three had landed onto the ground of the island, this time directly in front of the imposing gray-stoned building.  
  
"Well," Severus spoke up, dismounting from his broom. "Shall we?" He indicated to the front walk to Lupin, leaving Georgie where she stood and still blindfolded.  
  
"Hey!" She tugged at the knot, but wasn't making much progress. "Aren't we forgetting something?"  
  
Severus approached her, "Oh of course." He murmured silkily. He grabbed both of her shoulders and shoved just enough for her to fall down onto the ground onto her knees. He looked down at her as she swore and thrashed about violently trying to get at Severus and to rip the blindfold off-- which had gotten a piece of her hair in it.  
  
He turned on his heel and began to walk up the house, but the figure of Remus Lupin stood between him and his destination.  
  
Remus just looked hard at the amused Potions Master; Severus puffed up at the other man's attempt to dictate how he should behave--especially at his own home!  
  
"Severus Snape!" Georgie lividly bellowed.  
  
Returning to her, he magicked away the blindfold and lifted her to her feet.  
  
"Thanks, Snape." She nearly spat, and swept his feet out from underneath him. She walked haughtily over to Remus without even glancing back. "Shall we then?" She grinned wickedly, and Remus applauded her as the walked inside leaving Severus stomping to his feet and dusting off his robes.  
  
He narrowed his eyes at the pair as they stood by the door waiting for him to join them. All of the sudden, he felt deflated of his anger and need for revenge and let the feelings pass as he crossed the pathway to let them inside.  
Georgie knelt by the great fireplace and tried to balance a log on top of the others already crackling and glowing on the hearth.  
  
"Georgie, I think it's going alright already now. You don't have to tend it like that, just relax." Remus coaxed.  
  
"Miss Flaing, has a fondness for fire." Severus offered from his armchair drawn back into a corner away from the fire and the candlelight. "She enjoys burning and destroying."  
  
Georgie rolled her eyes at him. "And Professor Snape has a dislike for warmth and light, a common trait for those things one would find crawling beneath rocks."  
  
His eyes glittered at her from his seat, but he didn't speak any further and immersed himself in his reading.  
  
Georgie returned to her spot opposite Remus at the side of his Monopoly board. It was the Coronation Street Edition and Remus was proud of the fact that he remembered to bring it, but Georgie wasn't very good at the strategy and only played to pass time and please Remus. Severus refused to play "because it's a Muggle game," but it was generally suspected that he really just wasn't any good at it either.  
  
They were all resting from the journey, which though windy, was at least dry. Remus suggested they go for a walk after not many hours and see the place again.  
  
Georgie swore, "This game sucks. If I buy up all the properties, then I'll have no money to build up the hotels.makes no sense!"  
  
Remus tried explaining to her that the object wasn't to own the most property, but rather to make the most money..La de dah, she couldn't be bothered to get sucked into some economic simulation. "How'd you get so good at this Muggle game, anyway?"  
  
Remus ran his hand through his hair, which was speckled with gray at his temples. "Remember when I said I traveled and worked at the foreign schools?" He sat back in his seat. "Well, at the Australian school I lived in one of the other professor's home, as there weren't rooms for us at the school. That professor played a cutthroat game of Monopoly. Almost every evening she'd pull out the box and start up a game. A horrid waste of time as the sessions would last for hours, cutting into our grading and preparations.."  
  
"Wait, you lived with a witch?" Georgie teased. "In her house? All alone? Naughty, naughty.."  
  
Remus laughed, "No danger--It wasn't like that. Halfway through that year she found out what I was and told the Headmaster. I was asked to quietly resign and not raise a fuss. She never really did like me much--just sort of tolerated my presence and criticized how we did things 'over here'."  
  
"Oh, sorry. I didn't know." Georgie apologized. Georgie herself felt really quite grateful that everyone was as open to her presence as they were. She'd met more than her fair share of people in her new homeland who would mutter 'damn foreigner' after her as she passed them on the street.  
  
"Nothing to it. As it was halfway through the year, the school year in America was starting up, so I got invited to teach at the Salem Institute-- beautiful grounds, interesting teaching methods." He chuckled at his own private joke.  
  
"Have you ever been to New Brunswick?" Georgie started, but Severus broke in.  
  
"If we are to go out for a walk, we'd better start right away, or else the darkness will catch up with us."  
  
Georgie looked to the enormous windows and saw that the sun was already beginning to sink behind the dark hills rising on the backside of the island. "Ready?" She looked to Remus.  
  
He nodded and together they hastily threw the pieces into the box. Georgie coughed as they all three proceeded out the door and up the great staircase at once. Georgie and Remus had rooms across from Severus' room at the far end of the hallway. As she slipped into her room to slip on a sweater and her new coat and hat.  
  
Her room this time was smaller and cozier, and it looked a bit more feminine. There was a short stool in the ensuite bathroom that was cushioned and upholstered with flowers. Georgie dressed quickly in there, putting her foot up on the stool to tie up the laces on her boots. Snatching up her wand and her cap, she dashed back out into the hallway and shut the door behind her.  
  
The boys weren't there yet, so she ambled idly down the stairs and in the direction of the kitchens to find Cassy. Cassy wasn't about, but she chatted with the two elves that were in the kitchen preparing the soup for that evening. They'd almost pressured Georgie into accepting a cup of tea when she heard deep voices coming from the entryway, so she excused herself.  
  
They both looked up at the sound of her footsteps hurrying towards them. "Oh, good, ready to go I see." Remus smiled. Severus fastened his cloak and nodded, leading the way outside.  
  
It was very cold out, and the fresh air made her breath come quickly, but it was invigorating. Severus led the way up a path that seemed to climb forever upwards. After awhile her legs ached from the exercise and the chill, but she wouldn't admit that for the wide world.  
  
She was winded when they seemed to reach the top and the ground leveled off. A small and deep stream was flowing in the dusk light and Severus was pointing out the view of the sea from that spot. Georgie stood on tiptoe directly behind the two men and bit her lip anxiously as she strained to see the objects they were pointing out.  
  
Severus said, "We can rest here for a spell." Georgie heard that and a second later she let herself fall over flat on her back onto the patch of grasses behind her. Severus and Remus both turned to look at her curiously, then turned back around to admire the sights. Georgie was freezing, but the ground was so comfortable, she felt as if she could sleep right there...  
  
She opened her eyes and saw Remus standing over her with his wristwatch held out in front of him pointedly. He held his hand out to help her up. "You're going to get your coat dirty."  
  
"What does it matter." She hugged her arms around her body for warmth. "It's beautiful and it smells heavenly here." She looked around herself or a moment. Suddenly she stooped down and picked a piece of grass growing by the stream's bank. "Mint." She pronounced handing a bit to Remus.  
  
"The water looks so clear, I think I might try a bit before starting out again."  
  
"You know mint's wonderfully edible and it'll make the water seems fresher if you eat some before drinking--try it." She pressed.  
  
Severus came and stood beside her. She held out the mint, "Try some?" Not really expecting him to agree.  
  
"No."  
  
She watched as Remus stooped to drink from his cupped hands. She squinted as her eyes were failing her in the fleeting light.  
  
"This is really nice. Thanks." She said aside to Severus.  
  
"We should get back now." His eyes glittered in the semi-darkness. Remus stood up, and Georgie took hold of Severus' shoulders and spun him around, steering and pushing him along for a bit down the path playfully.  
  
"How big is this island?" Georgie asked, after she figured they should have made it back by then.  
  
"Big enough."  
  
She snorted and walked on in silence enjoying the night sounds.  
  
At last the house loomed over the top of the black trees, the lights casting eerie long shadows through the trees and over rocks.  
  
"You're too slow, I'm going to run on down."  
  
"If you break your neck.." Severus started.  
  
"Just don't bury me until you're sure I'm dead." She teased as she took off into a frolicking jog.  
  
"No promises." He spat.  
  
Remus waited until she was out of earshot. "I know you don't hate her or wish her ill, so why the animosity still?"  
  
"Habit."  
  
"Yes, I suppose habits are tough to break." He nodded as they walked even slower. "But you're not an old dog yet, Severus."  
  
Severus looked all around himself and wrestled with ridiculous thoughts. Remus watched as Georgie disappeared from sight a long way off down the path, then he began to whistle a low tune as they strolled on through the darkness.  
Georgie tore into the entryway, and slamming the heavy door shut behind herself she walked towards the drawing room and it's cheery blaze, fumbling with her coat's buttons. Suddenly she walked into something tall and solid- -so solid, that it made her stumble backwards and fall on her backside. She looked up in surprise at the tall figure before her.  
  
"You know, that's the second time I've fallen on my bum today." She bantered.  
  
The man took a quick step forward and lifted her to her feet.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked with an almost imperceptible smile.  
  
"Yes, I'm used to it actually." She smiled and stood there nodding to herself, feeling like a first-class idiot.  
  
He took mercy on her after a loud and long silence, "I'm a friend of Severus' from a long time back. Andrew. Andrew Carris." He offered his hand out to her.  
  
She took hold of his and shook firmly. "George Flaing. Pleasure."  
  
He motioned with a nod towards the drawing room and they continued inside together. He had the palest skin she'd ever seen--save Severus' of course. It was almost translucent and Georgie had to fight not to stare too hard at him. But he was quite handsome. He had dark brown hair, wavy, but definitely not poofy. And he was tall, and though Georgie was perhaps of a medium height, Andrew was several heads taller. Very handsome indeed.  
  
She seated herself in a chair on the opposite side of the fire from him.  
  
He cleared his throat, "Severus didn't tell me anything about you." Georgie frowned at hearing this, but he continued. "But of course I haven't seen the man for a year and perhaps he wanted to surprise me with a new acquaintance."  
  
"Perhaps," She smiled quietly, and racked her brain back to when Severus had mentioned introducing someone new to her. "No matter though, now we're here and we'll all have a lovely time and be quite jolly and comfortable."  
  
"Yes, the days I spend here with Severus are the most relaxing of my entire year. I look forward to them more to any other time, and the company of course is the primary reason."  
  
Georgie nearly balked at Severus' company being so valuable, "Well, it seems we'll have to perform twice as well, at least sociably, to keep up the standard."  
  
"Oh no. When I say that, I mean that being here is it's own reward. Don't any of you trouble yourselves or even check yourselves when it comes to my being here. I won't stand for it."  
  
Georgie smirked, "I don't think you realize the implications of your words-- we can be a, erm, well, a spirited bunch."  
  
Andrew's eyes widened, "I can't imagine Severus being spirited."  
  
"At all?" She asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. "But he's lovely when he's here and acting like himself and fun."  
  
Andrew almost spat, "Fun?!"  
  
"Not always of course, but at times." Georgie wasn't enjoying the back-and- forth over whether Severus was capable of enjoying himself. "At the least he's pleasant."  
  
"I take it you are from the school."  
  
"Hogwarts? Yes, for now." She nodded, watching as Andrew got to his feet.  
  
"Something to drink?" He offered.  
  
"Thank you, no."  
  
"So I suppose you're to graduate soon? You look older than 17."  
  
"Thank you. I'm 21. I graduated from The Institute in Poland a few years ago. However I've relocated to this country, and I've enrolled in Hogwarts for some rounding over of my rough spots and things."  
  
"I have heard of The Institute." He returned to his seat by her and the fire.  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Yes, from Severus." Oh great, she thought mournfully, whatever did Severus say to Andrew?  
  
Georgie coughed and fumbled with her remaining buttons. "Severus does have strong opinions on the place."  
  
Andrew nodded at this, but didn't comment. Georgie's mind kept returning to Severus and what the devil could be keeping he and Remus.  
  
"Have you met Remus Lupin? --He's here with us as well."  
  
"Ah yes, I was very surprised to hear he was back at the school teaching. I had heard there had been some concerned parents." Georgie's patience was beginning to fray. "But I've also heard he's a competent teacher."  
  
She smiled and looked at the fire to keep from either glaring at him, or else staring at his skin. "That he is." She looked up as she heard footsteps outside the room and a door slam. The two by the fire rose and walked over to greet Severus and Remus.  
  
Severus walked briskly forward and welcomed Andrew almost warmly. Georgie could see by his eyes that he was pleased. She stood a few paces behind the rest of them watching as Remus stepped forward and nearly hugged the man, shaking his hand so heartily that she almost became dizzy watching it.  
  
Exclamations of happiness and surprise at seeing each other were exchanged. Severus caught Georgie's eyes and Georgie purposefully just smiled blankly and shrugged lightly in response. "You've met our friend Georgie?" Severus posed to Andrew Carris, who acknowledged that he had. Georgie puffed up at being introduced as their friend. A small matter, but it meant a great deal to her all the same.  
  
"Did Cassy show you to your room?"  
  
"Oh yes, she was most helpful, thank you."  
  
Severus looked at the clock above the fireplace, "I see it's almost time to eat. Will you be joining us? Come have a glass of wine." He urged.  
  
Georgie's jaw was to her chest; she had never seen Severus act so interested in making another welcome or comfortable.  
  
"Well, I can speak for Remus and myself when I say we need a few minutes to freshen up. So how about if we all meet back here in forty-five minutes time?" Nods all around, and Severus and Andrew strode off together in the direction of the library talking in low voices together. Georgie stared after them both, the two tall men dressed all in black, both similar in their paleness and curious lacking of footfall sounds.  
  
"Who the devil is he?"  
  
"A friend of Severus'--a scholar and a traveler I've gathered. He tells the most fascinating tales when we're all gathered before the fire at midnight. Curious habits, but a sound fellow."  
  
"Ach, you're useless." Georgie teased as she threw her hands up in the air and stalked off towards the stairs. Remus caught up with her soon enough.  
  
They walked down the hallway, "At first I thought he was some relative of Severus'. He looked just like him--like death warmed-over."  
  
Remus screwed up his face as if contemplating something. "Severus hasn't any living relatives."  
  
Georgie remembered that Severus said he had a brother, but perhaps Remus wasn't to know that, so she dismissed it. "I just hope he won't be a big killjoy." She stopped outside her door. "I'm not exactly the quietest house-guest, and it'd be awfully difficult to try and check myself. I don't even think I'd want to try."  
  
Remus smiled to himself, wondering what was with the household and inability and non-desire for change. Instead he just reassured her that he wouldn't even know she were there, and he could be quite boisterous himself, so she needn't worry.  
  
She smiled as she went to her own room. She liked it, she had to admit as she went to the window and looked out. The room had two wide windows in the far wall that looked down upon a sloping stretch of lawn that was broken at the end by rocks jutting up from the earth. She had missed having windows and a view. The dungeons were wonderful: quiet and dark and comfortable--in their own way. One just got used to them. But the tiny slits of windows, way up high in the walls--above her head--always made her feel as if she were being stifled or buried alive. Severus told her once he imagined himself drowned in the dungeons back when he was a student in Slytherin House  
  
She slipped off her coat and her boots and sat on the edge of her bed to put on normal shoes. She heard a knock at her door, and hollered "Come in!"  
  
Severus entered in and crossed the floor between them.  
  
"It can't be time yet." Georgie didn't lift her eyes from the laces she was tying. "It's been, what? Five or ten minutes? You said forty-five, you know."  
  
"Yes, but I need you for something else."  
  
She finished with her shoes and slid off the bed, and eyed him skeptically. "Okily."  
  
He turned from her and walked away. She rolled her eyes and followed him out the door and down the stairs. He led her briskly past the house-elves in the kitchen and around a corner to a door she'd never noticed. He opened it and stepped down a flight of stairs.  
  
Georgie followed him uneasily. The cellar? What, did he need help carrying up jellies or something? But when they got to the ground Georgie realized it wasn't a cellar at all, it was an immense dungeon. They stood at what appeared to be the central spoke in a wheel of halls and rooms, twisting off into the darkness.  
  
"Wow." Georgie laughed. What impressed her was how clean the dungeons were. Sure they had stone walls and floors, but the stone was smooth and clean, and the main passages were well lit. "I should have gone down here when I was running from you."  
  
He walked to the first door and held it open for her. "You'd have gotten very, very lost." He predicted as she swept through.  
  
Inside there was just a mat on the ground covering all but a few feet by the door. "What's all this for?" Georgie asked.  
  
"You're training starts now."  
  
"No!" Georgie rolled her eyes and turned on Severus.  
  
"It's as good a place to start as any."  
  
"I hate you."  
  
"I wish." He sighed, and glared right back at her. "We're just going to do a bit tonight--more later. Dumbledore wished you to begin during the Holidays. We can work on dodging spells tonight--that's not difficult."  
  
"Says double-oh-flipping-seven, here." She growled.  
  
He pushed her to a spot on the mat and backed up to a spot far enough away from her.  
  
"You know this doesn't look like a dungeon. There aren't any of those ring- things on the walls and it's very bright in here."  
  
"That's because it hasn't been used as a dungeon for a very long time and the 'ring-things'," he pronounced contemptuously, "Are in the cells and rooms in the back. Now concentrate on what we're doing here in this room."  
  
She shot daggers at him, to which he just sneered. "Alright, now here's what we'll do. I'll shoot a few weak stuns at you. You'll have an advantage because you know what I'll be doing so your reaction time will be nothing really. The trick is to keep the foe concentrating on getting their spell off, so they won't realize you've anticipated their move and you can dive off to the side and get off one of your own. Sometimes the hardest thing is standing there still so they think they have you, when you're just biding time so you can get the better position. Are you following me?"  
  
She nodded at Professor Snape.  
  
"Good, now make sure that you don't give away that you're about to bolt by twitching or looking about you or they'll just follow your movements with their wand. A straight-on, locked-arm shot is the easiest to elude."  
  
"Ready?" He asked calmly.  
  
"Yes." She focused on his wand hand and listened for his voice to speak.  
  
"Stupefy." He spoke quietly but with force. Georgie had just dove onto her stomach, just out of reach of the bolt that shot out of the end of his wand that continued on to the back wall of the room with a crack.  
  
"Good, good." He strode over and helped her to her feet. "That was surprisingly good. I couldn't guess which direction you were going to go, and if you can fool me, then that's good indeed. Now, we'll try it a few more times, and this time be sure to get down into a position where your wand hand can get off another shot from the position you fall into. The way you fell that way, your arm was under your body to break your fall. Good habit if you're tripping over your feet, bad if you're being hunted down."  
  
"Great, I gotta think like a psycho killer.." She murmured, and Severus ignored her comment.  
  
When they were set up, Severus asked if she was ready, to which she rolled her eyes and acknowledged that she was, and dove off once again just out of reach of the stunner. Severus seemed to scrutinize her as he helped her to her feet the next time.  
  
The third time Georgie reasoned she should dive the other direction, but when she did Severus followed her with his wand and hit her with his stunner. She was thrown up against the far wall, almost as if she were picked up and thrown there by unseen hands, causing her to smack the back of her head against the cold stone.  
  
For a second she couldn't breathe, and she started to panic, then slowly her breathing evened out and her focus regained. Her head, however, felt hot and stiff. Severus was looming over her seated form asking her something. Her head roared, but she managed a weak smile, to reassure him. He frowned and spoke once more not soliciting an answer from her. After an odd minute she shook her head violently, "Wow, that's heaps better'n caffeine.." She joked.  
  
"I asked if you were alright." He repeated clearly.  
  
"Yup, I'm groovy. Alright and having fun, shall we have another go at it then?" She scrambled to get to her feet. Severus didn't retreat from his position over her. She chuckled, "Always concern, blah blah malarkey." She pushed him backwards and away to the far side of the mat.  
  
"I messed up. I learn from my mistakes. Whomp me again, I dare ya!"  
  
He looked her over, as if considering, "Whomp? If you think you're up to it.."  
  
"Bite me." She snarled, "So when do I get to fight back? It's easy for you if you have a captive fighter who can't fight back. "  
  
"Ready?"  
  
"Yeah," She smiled excitedly, though her head still swam.  
  
She dodged his attempt and even managed to get her shot off, though it went wide. Severus was pleased (she gathered) when he criticized her form, then told her to get up and try again.  
  
She wouldn't admit--even to herself--that she really did want to send Severus flying across the dungeon. It wasn't that she wanted to see him in particular hurt, but it was the adrenaline, the skill in the fight, and well.yes, actually she did want to smash up Severus a bit as well. This could turn out to be a great deal of fun in future.  
  
It unnerved her that Severus didn't budge at any of her stunners, perhaps he had an eye for her aim, or who knows.."You have to keep your focus. You're doing fine, but really, you must take this more seriously." He scolded.  
  
"Fine," She forced through clenched teeth. "If you want me to hurt you I will." Her eyes flashed in his direction.  
  
He smiled, "That's the sort of response needed. Good. We will continue later, today was just supposed to get you used to the idea." He motioned for her to exit with him. "Besides, I think it must be just about time to eat, and Cassy keeps a tight schedule around here."  
  
Georgie relaxed as she led the way up the stairs, "She's your house-elf, if you don't like it, ask her to stop. Hey, stop looking at my ass." She teased.  
  
"You're an imbecile. Who in their right mind.oh, I don't even know why I bother."  
  
Georgie paused just outside the door at the top of the stairs, "Lead the way, Yoda."  
  
"Why?" He scowled at her darkly.  
  
"Why not?" She said lightly. The truth was, her head was aching and if she stumbled she didn't want him behind her seeing it and worrying. She'd been injured before and she knew she was fine, but unnecessary worrying irked her.  
  
He outpaced her to the dinning room, where Andrew and Remus where chatting idly and waiting for them. Remus looked up at the pair as they walked in and joined them at the table, "Where have you two been? We thought we'd have to start without you." All four gathered at one end of the solid oak table.  
  
"Snoggin' in the dungeons." Georgie quipped as seriously as she could manage.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that." Remus laughed despite the look Severus was sending his way.  
  
Georgie plopped into an empty chair and confided. "Me too--it wasn't that good."  
  
Andrew snorted and Remus shook quietly to himself. "Actually," Severus' voice rose above the sniggers. "I was teaching her to fight."  
  
Remus stood up and was filling the wineglasses, "So how did she do? You're both alive and appear unscathed. A success?" Georgie turned down the wine as she indicated the soda can waiting beside her place setting.  
  
"Ask Georgie." Severus looked her straight in the eye.  
  
"Always so damn enigmatic.." Georgie lowered her head to the table and bashed it lightly on the wood. She remembered herself and sat up, raking her hair out of her eyes. "It was just a start. I did fine, I took a hit, but learned from it. Life is dandy and fine and I can't wait to get better at it so I can maim and maul my dear friend."  
  
Remus sat down, "What is with you two and violence?"  
  
Andrew cleared his throat, "Remus tells me that the last time you were here you single-handedly convinced the house-elves to join you in much mischief. Are we to expect much of the same?" He joked.  
  
"Only if Severus let's me get away with it." She looked to him soberly. She had to remind herself that it was his house and if it was order he wished to maintain she had to respect his wishes.  
  
Severus smirked and said dryly, "I couldn't stop her if I tried."  
  
Andrew brought his glass down hard on the table, "My dear, Severus is an uptight jackass--even if he is one of my closest friends," He nodded to Severus who was leering at the other pale man over steepled fingers. "He's had far too little enjoyment and happiness in his life and if we, who call ourselves his friends, can't manage to help him out a bit, then we're a sad party indeed." Georgie snorted, but opened her soda instead of answering. How in the world did Andrew and Severus ever find each other out?!  
  
Remus quietly pointed out that it was Severus' choice as to how he lived and how he conducted his life. Severus sat back with an arched eyebrow and watched his friends discuss his fate.  
  
Andrew was outspoken, "Bollucks. It's a choice to stifle and kill oneself as well--does that mean we should count it as a good decision? One that's best for the person? Sit back and let themselves do harm?"  
  
Georgie piped up. "But how are we to know what is harmful for another person, suicide notwithstanding? A solitary life isn't damaging, nor is it a crime. Just because we see it as not desirable from our current point of view, does that mean we must subject the person to our solution for their own particular ill?"  
  
"True, but what of anti-social behavior? It's not that behavior in itself that worries others, is it? It's that there must be something else behind it--some deeper problem or ill manifesting itself in that fashion. It may hurt society as a whole." Remus pointed out.  
  
Cassy and another house-elf entered into the room balancing plates on their large, knobby hands. "I hate to interrupt, because as you have probably I guessed I so enjoy listening to the lot of you, but I suggest you eat while the food's still warm." Severus drawled sarcastically.  
  
Georgie bit her lip and stole a glance across the table at Severus. He was staring at Andrew with a glint in his eye, then abruptly took up his fork and began to eat.  
Georgie sat on a flat cushion by the fire on the floor, her back up against the fitted stones that encircled the massive fireplace. She lazily strummed Severus' guitar--sometimes forming songs, but more often not. Severus had excused himself for an hour and no one had a clue where he was, and so Andrew and Remus were in the Library chatting and drinking sherry. Georgie didn't feel up to joining them. She adored Remus, but Andrew was too new for her to let loose around just yet. He was a puzzle: What was it about him that made Severus act so cordial? Well, not so very cordial.just, so ready to please. And that coming from the self-absorbed, ambivalent professional Potions Master.  
  
She was glad for the solitude of that moment so she could gather her thoughts and reflect.  
  
A sad fact widely known  
  
How the most impassionate song  
  
To a lonely soul  
  
Is so easily outgrown.  
  
But don't forget the songs  
  
That made you smile  
  
And the songs that made you cry.  
  
When you lay in awe  
  
On the bedroom floor  
  
And said "Oh, smother me, Mother..."  
  
The passing of time  
  
And of all its crimes  
  
Is making me sad again.  
  
The passing of time  
  
And all of its sickening crimes  
  
Is making me sad again  
  
But don't forget the songs  
  
That made you cry  
  
And the songs that saved your life.  
  
Yes, you're older now  
  
And you're a clever swine  
  
But they were the only ones that stood by you.  
  
The passing of time leaves empty lives  
  
Waiting to be filled  
  
The passing of time  
  
Leaves empty lives  
  
Waiting to be filled  
  
I'm here with a cause  
  
I'm holding a torch  
  
In the corner of your room  
  
Can you hear me?  
  
And when you're dancing and laughing  
  
And finally living  
  
Hear my voice in your head  
  
And think of me kindly  
  
Do you  
  
Love me like you used to ?  
  
Georgie messed up the notes of the songs so horribly that when it was finished she flung aside the guitar in disgust--disgust aimed at herself, at the song, at general feelings of ineptitude. She sat the rest of the evening with her back up against that fireplace frowning and thinking sour thoughts.  
"How are you this fine morning?" Remus asked cheerily as Georgie padded into the dinning room and seated herself next to Remus. Severus looked up at her as she entered, then lowered his eyes to the Daily Prophet in his hand. Andrew wasn't present however.  
  
"My head fucking hurts." She moaned.  
  
"Georgie!" Severus looked up at her from his paper and balked.  
  
"If you had this headache you'd say that too." She looked at him and there seemed to be an unspoken acknowledgement that the ache did not come from any drink she'd had.  
  
"I would say no such thing," he scoffed  
  
"You just would say it in such colorful a way." He glared at her, as she continued. "Ah, come on say something bad. Damn or something--that's mild enough. Say 'shit' or something."  
  
Remus looked shocked, but was laughing. "He won't, don't even bother Georgie."  
  
"Come on, one gratuitous curse." She teased him, as she put jam on her toast, giggling as he ignored her.  
  
Remus suggested that she apply to Severus for a headache draught, but Georgie assured him that she'd take a bit of Belladonna later.  
  
"You know, I never got the greatest marks in Potions when I as in school, and I hardly remember any of it now--" Severus looked on the man with intense black eyes. "Well, I just haven't used it!" Remus laughed. "But forgive my ignorance, isn't Belladonna a poison."  
  
"Yup." Georgie grinned evilly.  
  
"At least you know what you're doing." He handed her the sugar.  
  
"Nah, I just pretend I do, then Severus bails me out when I've overdone it and I'm poisoned."  
  
"Frightening."  
  
"Where's Andrew?" Georgie looked at Severus.  
  
Severus sighed, "He keeps odd hours, prefers evening hours."  
  
"All the time!?"  
  
"Yes," Severus replied amusedly.  
  
"That's mad, he'd have to find a job working later and everything. But what fun, being able to sleep in all the time.I'd give anything to not have to be awake and alive during the day! I hate waking up early." She grumbled. But she noticed Remus sent a queer sort of look at Severus when they thought she wasn't looking.  
  
"How is it that I've barely seen Cassy, Severus?" She peeped slyly at him. "Is she frightened of something, or is she acting on orders to stay away from me?"  
  
"Nothing of the sort. Nothing to do with you, she just has particular aversions to disturbing our party. She's tending to the gardens with an added fervor to make herself scarce."  
  
Remus frowned. "Oh, enough of that Severus--she'll think it's something to do with her. Georgie, Cassy's scared of Andrew." He explained.  
  
She snorted in reply, "Oh really? And he's such scary a person!" She reminded herself to poke fun at poor little Cassy later on when she managed to corner her somewhere in the house.  
"Do you mean to say that Minerva's not seen her family in over five years!" Georgie screeched. Severus and Remus and Georgie were tromping through the frost and mud on the ground on the path leading up to the ruins of the old manor.  
  
Remus explained that she was needed for Harry Potter's protection--"Even over the summer?" She interrupted.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How sad."  
  
"No, she volunteered. Besides Hogwarts is her real home now and the staff and students are her family."  
  
Severus just listened to them ramble on. Soppy and sentimental...  
  
"I still think it's sad."  
  
Remus was always the voice of reason. "Her family, from what I gather, were always sort of distant. Perhaps she doesn't mind it--"  
  
"--Perhaps she prefers it." Severus pointed out.  
  
Georgie laughed, "Perhaps."  
She managed to corner Remus alone in the old rotted-out kitchens at the ruins. "So, not to pry or anything, but your mind isn't really here, and I think we can all guess where it is. Or rather, on whom it dwells."  
  
Remus was silent, "For the longest time, I hadn't a real place to live--a real home. Not that I was without a roof over my head. My parents were at the same old-fashioned cottage I grew up in--they're still there now. And they would always welcome me there, but it wasn't mine. I was always going from job to job, from continent to continent and I never found 'home'. And I was stubborn too, full of pride." He ran his hand through his hair. "I don't know why I'm even telling you this." He focused in sharply on her, and Georgie found a low ledge to lift herself up and on to.  
  
"When I inherited the old house from my aunt truthfully it didn't do much to lift my sprits. Of course, it was a generous gesture and I am grateful, I have a place to go now--true place of my own, with a garden and a front walk and trees surrounding it." He smiled. "Then Sirius came back and it was like old times again--my friend was restored to me. Then we lived as two bachelors this past summer. He enjoyed his bachelor status while I quietly mourned it. Alone isn't all it is cracked up to be." Georgie nodded solemnly at his words, though not fully understanding them. The room smelled moldy and stale, it bothered her nose.  
  
"It wasn't just the place that would make a place a home though. It was the people. I hadn't any people--any family of my own. You have no idea how disheartening it is to finally face the fact that you may very well be alone for the rest of your life--and you don't want to be alone."  
  
"Unlike Severus." She sniffed, and tried to keep from sneezing.  
  
"Severus doesn't want to be alone--who really does? It's just once you get to a point when you sort of give up on yourself, and on your hopes and aspirations."  
  
"But you've got someone now--oh, sorry, I know. I'm assuming too much."  
  
"If you do, then so do I." He smiled sadly. "Nothing has been said, no promises given. Time will of course tell as it always does. I can't ask for promises when we're in such a.precarious position, and besides, an old monster like me.."  
  
"You're not a monster!"  
  
"A few days out of every month--"  
  
"Me too." She joked eliciting a smile from him.  
  
"Enough! You're neither old nor a monster; you're a fit, handsome dear and wonderful with a heart of gold. You're no more an old man than I am, and since there's very little danger of that, you have to be more sure of yourself. Not over-sure of course, but surer of yourself and of whom you are. You're lovely--get used to the idea."  
  
"Like Sirius."  
  
"No one's as beautiful as Sirius--even Sirius." She smiled wily. "She adores you, and you'll not be alone. I'm sure of it."  
  
"I'm glad you are--because I'm not so sure."  
  
His eyes lifted to the passageway beyond them, and she followed his gaze with curiosity. "What is it?" She nearly whispered.  
  
"Severus." He smiled and walked over to stand by her. She hopped down, "Lor', I hope you just have sensitive hearing, and I'm not losing any of mine because I can't hear a thing." They walked out of the room and saw Severus approaching.  
  
"Hello Darling!" She gushed. He looked down on her as if she were something disgusting and grotty lying in the road. Remus only smiled.  
  
"Do you know," She said looking up at her two friends. "That I feel slightly inferior here."  
  
"Can't imagine why." Severus said dryly.  
  
"Why?" Remus baited.  
  
"You both are tall and thin--you're both nearly two heads bigger'n me! It's not far. I'm a cherub-goblin in comparison. Perhaps I can get some lifting shoes or else shrink you two."  
  
"The smallest things always have the loudest voices." Severus looked at Remus over her head.  
  
"Think toddlers." Remus nodded.  
  
"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side!" She punched Remus in the arm, then took off out of their sight.  
  
"So very odd," Severus murmured.  
  
"Perhaps we'll understand better someday."  
  
"Yes, give us ten or fifteen years and we'll be able to understand George Flaing's mind."  
  
"Say, do you know why she's named George anyhow?"  
  
Severus narrowed his eyes, "No, I never bothered to ask her. Why?"  
  
"Get her to tell you the story sometime--it's quite interesting and it explains a lot too."  
  
Severus stiffened and stalked off and left Remus standing where he was. Right when you think you know a person, then surprise--something new about them! He kicked his toe at a corner of the stone wall as he walked past it. It wasn't that fact that he didn't know--it was the fact that Remus did. Severus knew his disposition towards making things into competitions, but he was being ridiculous. Who cares why?  
  
He walked outside into the stark winter light, he wanted to shield his eyes, but instead just hung his head as he walked forward. Plop, something soft hit his shoulder. He looked up startled to see Georgie balled up on a boulder between a cluster of trees. She winked and lobbed another object at his face, which he snatched out of the air and turned over in his palm. It was a mushroom.  
  
"You could use those, you know." She called out to him seriously.  
  
"They don't grow here in the winter ordinarily. How odd." He stood his ground in the center of the path.  
  
"Why are you sitting over there?" He was making chitchat, and he detested making chitchat.  
  
"No reason," She parried.  
  
"Oh.." He seemed at a loss for what to say, she wasn't going to be of any real assistance. "Would you like to walk on awhile more then?"  
  
Georgie scrutinized him and answered in the affirmative, to which he replied he'd track down Remus, then he turned away.  
  
She sat on the rock and breathed deeply. The woods smelled heavily like dirt and pine, it was delicious and calming. There weren't any birds at all in the sky, and the only sound came from the wind blowing through trees and over the icy spots and down the hillside. It was like the entire earth were resting, and she felt horrid to make any noise at all to disturb the peace.  
  
Remus and Severus tromped back to where Severus had left her to find Georgie waiting in the path with her eyes lifted to the sky in rapt pleasure.  
  
"Shall we?" Remus gestured off down the path.  
She knew she shouldn't have worn sandals today, she swung the towel around her arm as she walked. It was freezing outside literally and Georgie first off had gone swimming in the sea, and secondly had trudged all the way back up in a terry-cloth robe and a pair of sandals. Georgie returned back to the house and pushed open the door, Cassy stood before her as if waiting for someone.  
  
"Hello Cassy, what've you been doing today? Haven't seen any of you. I've been out swimming in the." Her voice broke off. Something in the tiny house-elf's face told her she needed to stop.  
  
"Oh gawd, what is it?" Georgie hurriedly set her towel by a bench just inside the door.  
  
"There's been an official letter from Hogwarts, flown by stealth owl just before you came in. It's addressed to Severus, but below that it says Mister Lupin's name and..yours." Cassy seemed just as confused as Georgie felt evidently.  
  
"Why me?" Georgie mumbled to herself, and Cassy just shook her head. "And Remus and Severus aren't here? Do you know where they got off to?" Cassy shook her head once more.  
  
"The owl's waiting for a response as well."  
  
"Oh dear, well, where's the letter: I'll determine if it really is for my eyes." She followed Cassy back into a study where the fireplace wasn't in use and Georgie shivered from her wet hair.  
  
The letter did comprise her name on the outside of the parchment and the seal was Hogwarts, she produced her wand from her pocket and muttered a few unlocking charms for the privacy and identity spells placed over it.  
  
She broke the seal at last with her numb fingers and quickly scanned the letter, not even noticing that Cassy had left her alone in the room. Sinking down into the first available chair, she bit down on her lip quite hard, and didn't realize she was drawing blood. It was from Minerva--all in her flowing scrawl.  
  
The letter was to inform them that Professor Vector had been singled out and killed by a Death Eater's attack over the holiday. Minerva just wished the staff to hear this from her first before they got a chance to read about it in the Daily Prophet. She gave what details she knew--it happened at her home while she was visiting family--a brother and his wife also were killed--reasons still remained unknown. There would be an announcement when school recommenced and they would find someone to fill-in for her until a permanent replacement could be found. Near the very bottom there was a note that the three of them should try to rest and enjoy the last of the holiday and to try not to dwell on the things that were beyond repair. Minerva closed it telling them to stay on their toes and to please reply that the entire party was safe.  
  
At first a sense of relief washed over her: she'd thought it was something , well, worse. Hogwarts had been taken, Dumbledore or Minerva..But just as quickly, feelings of sickness and guilt over what she was really saying to herself sunk in. Alright, so Georgie wasn't fond of or close to the Professor, didn't have classes with her, barely said Hello on passing her in the corridors, but still. This was a professor! A fellow witch being cut down by..  
  
Georgie got to her feet stiffly and taking the letter in her hand sat herself behind the mahogany desk and slipped out a sheet of parchment. If the owl were waiting for a response, she would send it off presently. She dipped her quill in and with a shaky hand scratched off to Minerva that they were all fine and safe and that this was such a huge shock..  
  
She was just finishing up when she heard a heavy footfall in the doorway, making her look up sharply. Remus and Severus crossed the floor with alarmed looks on their faces, especially Remus'. Georgie didn't speak a word, but handed the letter up to Severus and sealed the other letter. She got to her feet, breezed past the two men scouring the contents of the letter and found Cassy, giving her the reply with directions to send off the detained owl immediately.  
  
When she returned to the cold study, Remus was the color of ash in the chair and Severus was pacing the floor. Georgie stepped just inside the door, and leaned her back against a bookshelf watching them. She didn't feel it was her place to say anything, they would have known her so much better..  
  
But as it turns out they didn't. Severus knew her more than either of the other two and he still didn't know much. He admitted he'd never really talked to her--she was careful to not get involved with friendships with the other staff. He thought he could recall that she was forever writing to a fiancé somewhere on the continent, but he was surprised to hear she had family so close by.  
  
Remus remarked on how strange to not really notice someone, until they were gone and it was too late.something about life's being fickle.. Georgie faded in and out. She felt worse that she didn't care --because she didn't know her. Was she that shallow? But it wasn't just her who was able to see beyond the tragedy, the two men quickly moved thoughts away from the person and on to the issue of safety and made plans to talk with Dumbledore at first opportunity.  
  
Georgie wished Andrew were there, so she could talk to him as he probably could offer her some detached insight. Her mind raced away. Why Vector? Vector was nothing, did nothing. It made no sense. Someday perhaps she'd get a somewhat adequate answer, she hoped. But in all honesty, the people who should have been targeted were Dumbledore, Harry Potter, or Snape. She listened to the wind scraping the bare branches across the glass and thought of other things, dancing and hiking and swimming.Anything to--  
  
"Georgie." Remus was standing right before her looking concerned. "I've been saying your name."  
  
"Oh. Sorry."  
  
"You alright?"  
  
"Yes," she mustered a smile to get the dogs of her track and was allowed several more minutes of mind wandering and numbly avoiding thoughts. She felt bad for the fiancé--to get a letter with news like that.  
  
She slipped out the door and headed for the kitchens. Cassy was in there assisting with the meal preparation and organizing the efforts. Georgie thanked her for mailing the letter and for remaining level-headed, filling her in vaguely on all that had transpired. Georgie walked to the refrigerator and retrieved her own Diet Coke and sat on a stool at the table, much to the protest of one house-elf, whom Georgie just ignored when he offered to fetch it for her.  
Severus pushed open the door and saw Georgie sitting on a stool with her back to him blowing then on a mug of tea.  
  
"I thought I just might find you here." He said.  
  
"Shut-up." She retorted bitterly without facing him.  
  
"I didn't mean that you'd be in the kitchens, I meant you'd be with others. You're not often the solitary type." He sat in the next chair over and a house elf handed him a cup of steaming tea.  
  
"Sorry." She said sheepishly. "I jump to nasty conclusions."  
  
"You're not affected by all this are you?" He analyzed her closely.  
  
"Nah, not really."  
  
"Good, because I wouldn't want you to harp on things over and done with that you can't fix. You'll ruin your time of rest and diversion."  
  
She drew a long breath, "Not I. I'm wonderfully shallow and callous, I'll forget after not a very long time. I promise I'm fine and happy and smiley and wonderful. And this tea is fab."  
  
He got to his feet. "Good." He wasn't convinced. "I'm meeting with Albus in Hogsmeade for an hour or so. I'll be back by dinner or a little afterwards."  
  
"Oh," she whined. "You're leaving?"  
  
He snorted, "I'm coming back." He pointed out condescendingly. He patted down the top of her hair reassuringly, "Dry your hair or you'll catch a cold and die from it." She was still wearing her robe with her swimsuit beneath it.  
  
"Ay ay Captain," she saluted and laughed.  
  
"That sounds more like you. Did you take your headache draught or belladonna?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I don't know." She spat, clearly losing her temper. Snape may have been just showing his concern, but it nettled her by how he presented it.  
  
"Does your head still hurt?" He demanded.  
  
"Yes."  
  
He glared at her, "I know I'm not the big mediwizard here, but."  
  
"Okay I'll take it tonight! Oh, just leave already!" She turned on her stool and tried to kick at him playfully.  
"How is it, that he flies us out here in the high wind and freezing cold, and he's connected to the Floo network?" She griped to Remus at the dinner table.  
  
Andrew hadn't shown up yet, but according to Remus that was pretty common for him.  
  
"It's for emergencies--really. When he comes here on his own he flies, but he's connected only for emergencies ." His voice trailed off. "This being an island, you'd have to have another way of travel."  
  
"And he's never heard of a boat?" She growled.  
  
Remus chuckled, "Could you imagine Severus at the wheel of a sailboat or a motorboat? Nor could I."  
  
"Yes, but for awhile I couldn't imagine him on a broom either."  
  
He laughed and ripped open a roll. "Now what was it we were talking of before you went on your paranoid rant about him tricking you into flying blind?"  
  
"You were telling me about Lily."  
  
"Oh, yes. Well, anyway, she was very clever--she could control us boys when we got out-of-hand, steer us gently away from potential problems. And we never knew she was doing it. She just had a way with her. And poor James, he never knew what hit him--but then again he had no reason to look back. They were perfect, even their arguments were stunning. They both were generous and would apologize for days if they felt they'd done or said something wrong." His eyes twinkled.  
  
"She had a temper, usually she'd be so serene and mild, so kind, but if you got her justifiably angry--and we all did plenty of times!--Her eyes would glow and she'd let loose on you. She smiled a lot--was generally happy. Didn't have as great a sense of humor as the rest of us, but it suited her fine." Georgie heard mostly the same things from every person she asked about Lily Potter: She was young, beautiful, good and sorely missed. Not much of an ease to her mind though.  
Severus returned and ate by himself, but Georgie sat by him prattling on about something or other. Remus had received a letter by owl right after dinner and had gone off to his room to read it in the privacy there. Georgie had sneaked a glance and saw it was postmarked from Co. Cork, and so she reminded herself to tease him afterwards.  
  
Severus was in an odd mood--strangely verbal. Especially odd coming from the thin-lipped vague and cryptic responses he usually gave. Georgie had gone down to the dungeon and worked on her aim on her own that day, and reported that much to him. He just nodded and looked preoccupied.  
  
"Are you alright?" She reached her hand out to touch his shoulder warmly.  
  
"Of course." His face was devoid of emotion. Fine, if he won't tell me, I won't pressure him. She stiffly got to her feet.  
  
"Well, I'm freezing." She rubbed her hands up her arms and chattered her teeth for emphasis. "I need a coat in here. I'd swear it's better out there than in here."  
  
She passed out of the room and Severus raised his eyes to follow her just as a hollow bang sounded, followed by a hoarse howl. "Ow! Damn, damn, damn, damn!" The noise disappeared deeper into the house.  
  
She returned several minutes later wearing a sweater and a hat as well: a tam with a knit ball on top. He thought she looked like a cubby little snowman in her cream-colored sweater.  
  
"I thought you were giving up foul language." He scrambled to organize his thoughts.  
  
"I am."  
  
"So what happened?"  
  
"When?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Make me, you horrid bat." She challenged.  
  
"You are exasperating." He snarled at her, much like when they first met.  
  
"And you are determined to be unpleasant. Damn isn't naughty." She growled.  
  
He laughed at her. Gradually she let herself join in. He was laughing more and more these days.  
  
She sought out a Diet Coke and popped it open with her front teeth, uncontrollably Severus felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise from the picture she made--like the emotion fingernails on a chalkboard elicited: not pleasant. She looked over the rim to see Severus giving her an unguarded funny look.  
  
"What did I do now?"  
  
"Why didn't you visit your parents over the holiday?"  
  
She smirked and raised an eyebrow, "Don't miss much do you? Well, it's a simple enough answer and I won't hold it back from you. When my brother died my parents never got over it. He was their favorite--hell, he was my favorite as well. It was as if their lives ended with his. Part of the reason I had to get away from them and go away to school. The holidays are hard on us all." Severus frowned.  
  
"Oh, don't give me any of that! They never made me feel unwelcome or unloved. It was just too uncomfortable watching them sinking further into their own mourning. I try to spend time with Aunt Sylvie if possible. It's been years since he .and I don't think they'll ever get over it. Sad."  
  
"Yes, sad."  
  
"That and they're a bit mad as well."  
  
He choked, "You're lying."  
  
"Nope. They are a bit mad--nothing drastic or anything, they just are a bit unbalanced--touched in the head, harmless of course, but they still function--my dad still works and my mother still helps out with 'The League' and her charity work. They just have some.. Peculiarities." She chose her words carefully. "But they are indeed distracted."  
  
Severus looked out the window.  
  
"If you feel bad for me, I'll kick your ass, Snape."  
  
"Try." He leered. "Someday perhaps I'll meet them." He said that as an offer of goodwill towards her divulging the information up to his curiosity.  
  
"Not if I have anything to do with it."  
Georgie sat across from Severus in the plush armchair near the fire. She tucked a blanket in around herself, and nuzzled the soft fabric against her cheek, ignoring the long dark shadows she sensed where creeping up towards her. She set her glass down on a side table and cast uneasy glances about at the fireplace and the windows where the wind lashed out violently using tree branches as instruments. The storm seemed to have sneaked itself inside as well. She shivered as she felt enormous pity for those who had to be outside in weather such as this.  
  
Severus watched her in silence for the better part of an hour. "What are you afraid of?"  
  
"Now? Nothing." She seemed surprised at the question  
  
"No. What are you afraid of?" He repeated.  
  
"Feeling nothing. Feeling everything." She started, then cut short with a sigh. A cryptic answer.  
  
"So you don't know?" He pried.  
  
"No. I know." She insisted.  
  
"It's not anything dangerous though?"  
  
She held herself back from laughing outright at him. It wouldn't have been a well-meant laugh. "Yes."  
  
"Well, we can find protection for you, we can teach you--there are ways.. Stick close to us, we won't allow harm to come to you." How like the loyal and single-minded knight he acted.  
  
"The literary 'hooded claw'." Severus had once used the expression when he was in one of his 'moods'. "You won't be able to solve every problem, you know."  
  
He shot her a cruel hard look, and his eyes bore into her as she looked elsewhere. He didn't have an answer for her, so they let silence envelop the room instead.  
  
"If I had the power. I would." He looked not at her, but at the flames.  
  
"I know that, and I'd do the same for you."  
  
"I know that."  
  
"But that still leaves us here with our hands empty." As neither of us have any power to speak of.  
  
"Keeping bad at bay: it's an endless struggle."  
  
"Who wins, Severus?" She asked him with wide, knowing eyes.  
  
"Do you want to hear the truth or do you want me to--" His glassy black hair shone in the firelight--little dancing points of lights ran up and down the side of his head, jogging his face over.  
  
"Lie."  
  
"The good guys always win, truth prevails, we are all rewarded for our efforts, no one ever dies, and we live happily ever after.."  
  
"Liar." She whispered.  
  
"You sound like me."  
  
"Now or then."  
  
"Now, come to think of it."  
  
"Good."  
  
"I don't see your logic." He pointed at her with the rim of the glass in his hand.  
  
"That's what I like about you."  
  
"What?" He was slightly taken aback.  
  
"You will let me say anything, even if it's not in character--even if I'm feeling the world's going to end and I don't care a whit, you let me say and feel these things--all things. You're good to be around."  
  
"Never thought of myself in the capacity--ever. And I dare say no one else in the world ever has either."  
  
"Here's to firsts, then. You're good to be around." She repeated.  
  
"I thought we were speaking of you and your thoughts. How did this get around to me?"  
  
"No, it's my turn now. We go in turns. Deal with it."  
  
"Amazing." He almost smiled.  
  
"What is?" She asked in surprise.  
  
"How I got to be here--now."  
  
She cocked her head so she could look at him out of the corner of her eye. "And you always say that I'm the odd one..."  
She had retreated to a kneeling position by the fire, lifting her hands out to the flames to soak up their warmth and glow. Suddenly thrusting her hands into the heart of the blaze, she watched the flames lick at her fingers.  
  
She removed her hands hastily and turned then upside down and back again, scrutinizing them. "If I touch the fire and I feel nothing..." She didn't know what was wrong with her--she just felt so spiritless, she hardly realized she'd spoken out loud.  
  
"It freezes me." Severus whispered at her hoarsely.  
  
"Then there's something wrong with the fire." Andrew stepped out from the shadows of the wall.  
  
They both spun around in surprise. "I'm sorry to eavesdrop, but I wanted to express that I'm sorry to hear about your colleague. Remus has told me. Might put a damper on things."  
  
Severus checked himself from saying anything rude.  
  
Georgie sarcastically jumped in, "Well, it'll make us postpone our group- sing tonight."  
  
"Have you eaten?" Severus inquired of his pale and sleepy guest.  
  
"Yes, a house-elf left a tray for me." He smiled coyly.  
  
"Fine," Severus put his hands on his knees as to raise himself. "Sit by the fire and I'll go find Remus."  
  
Georgie threw off the blanket and jumped up, "Don't bother-I'm up. My head's aching so I think I'll take your advice and take something for it."  
  
He scowled at her. "Are you sure you're alright? You look a bit flushed." He pointed at her with a thin finger.  
  
She retreated to the enormous mirror hung on the back wall next to the door. It was gold and ornate, and besides costing a small fortune would probably be heavy enough to crush her, she smirked. She poked a finger just under her eye and drew the skin down to make a silly gargoyle face. She did the same thing with the other eye and stuck out her tongue at herself, trying not to laugh and ruin the look. Severus caught her eye from across the room through the mirror, and sent her a 'stop being so childish' sort of glance. She held his gaze and with a stray little finger pushed her nose like a pug dog's.  
  
Severus didn't remove his eyes from the spectacle in the back of the room, but spoke instead to Andrew, "About the Professor, as I'm sure Remus has informed you, she wasn't any great friend of ours, however the loss is still greatly felt."  
  
Andrew's voice piped up, "Of course, these things are always difficult when they hit close to home." He continued quizzing Severus on Hogwarts and it's security. Georgie scanned the mirror quickly to see Andrew, but see didn't see him. Maybe it was a trick of the light, the long shadows, or was he lying down?  
  
She dropped her hands and with a sharp movement spun around. There was Andrew sitting in plain view seated on the couch she just vacated. Was she losing her mind? Yeah probably, she figured. A side effect of hitting her head must've been losing her mind.  
  
But looking into the mirror once again she clearly could see Severus and the couch, but Andrew wasn't.But she heard him speaking. She looked again at the Andrew sitting in the couch with such a bolting, jerked movement that Severus looked up at her. She glanced at the mirror, back into the room, back at the mirror. She felt hot and confused, as if she wasn't getting oxygen; still Andrew wasn't there. He had no reflection-so what does that mean? Her eyes rolled back into her head, She chuckled, Oh dear, I'm going insane.. The world slowly covered in black and she collapsed.  
Remus was leaning over her, dangling something under her nose. She opened one eye then the other. Narrowing her eyes at him, "What time is it?"  
  
He smiled, "Didn't think that was the first thing you'd ask. I'm disappointed." She took that opportunity to look around her. She was in the drawing room, sprawled on the couch. Severus and Andrew where gone.  
  
"So, he's what, a vampire?"  
  
"That's better-more like you. You are correct. " Remus looked at her seriously. "You fainted we gather."  
  
"I've never done that," her voice tinged with disappointment.  
  
He smiled, "Don't beat yourself up over it. I've fainted, it doesn't say anything bad about you." He reached down and lifted a glass up to her, wrapping her fingers around the stem. "You drink it."  
  
"Really? I always figured you planted it in the ground." She sniffed it. "What's it?"  
  
"Sherry."  
  
"So if I 'faint' I get to drink?" She teased, sitting up and taking a deep drink of the stuff. She pressed the glass back into Remus' outstretched hand. "Cor! Where's Severus?"  
  
"Hiding I reckon." He confided. She leapt up and ran towards the stairs, before Remus recalled her, suggesting she try the direction of the kitchens and dungeons. What a wonderful lad that werewolf is, she recognized.  
She put her hand up next to his head on the wall she'd just backed him into and leaned in nearly nose-to-nose with him, "He drinks what I work to keep in your damn veins Severus!" She hissed.  
  
"Oh, don't now go and choose what's an acceptable form of person!" He snarled, his breath hitting her face. "You've put up with worse offenses than this before and now you choose to show your prejudices."  
  
"I'm not choosing whether he's acceptable. He is what he is, and he's dangerous. Andrew is wonderful and I have nothing whatsoever to say against him. I am saying this against his kind."  
  
"So just because his race is driven to kill, he is bad. It's very easy and simple for you, isn't it? Now he's a monster when a few hours ago he was just Andrew. I've killed, and that doesn't make all mortal humans bad, does it?"  
  
"Damnit, no. I'm saying he's dangerous that's all. What if he's hungry and he looses control or something?"  
  
"But he never does! He's careful, we're careful, he feeds daily from cow's blood, takes extra with him always. If he ever gets into a spot of trouble he heads straight for here, where the house-elves know enough to take care of him!"  
  
"So that's Cassy, then."  
  
"Will you even listen to yourself! Remus isn't a monster and he looses control just as much--maybe even more-so when he's fully transformed, yet you don't consider him dangerous."  
  
"It's because we can predict Remus, with Andrew it's different. Outside circumstances--God! I can't believe you're even arguing this! He could get caught in the sunlight, or meet some Muggles." She raged on, yet the fire was leaving her.  
  
"He's lived for nearly 700 years--he knows what dangers there are and how to avoid them. He's careful." Severus repeated, calmer this time and quieter. "I've known him all my life, I swear that he is a safe person to be around."  
  
She lowered her hand from beside his head slowly. "That's all I need to know. Heaven knows I try to make my judgements against individuals and not against a whole people. At least I try to." She said somberly. She felt deflated, and turned around crossing her arms in front of her before leaning into the wall next to Severus' side.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice devoid of emotion.  
  
It nettled her that it sounded in his voice that he merely asking her to ask her, in account of his emotion never showing through. "I'm upset. You could have--no. You should have told me, I'm always getting things sprung upon me and it's making me angry. I don't understand what this lack of faith in me is--you think I'm going to give away all your secrets or something. You could have told me this days ago--Remus too, I would have been fine. But shocking the hell out of me isn't the best way of introducing your friends." She rubbed her head. "When were you going to tell me? When I saw him drinking blood from the goblets or what?"  
  
"I was going to tell you today, it's just that things got.complicated."  
  
"Welcome to life, Snape." She snarled.  
  
He smiled, "You only call me Snape when you're angry with me."  
  
"And this makes you happy?"  
  
He didn't reply. Georgie pushed herself up from the wall and walked away.  
"So, can you fly?" Georgie plopped herself down on the couch next to a surprised Andrew.  
  
He laughed a moment before replying, "Yes, I can fly."  
  
"Without a broom? Just through the air? Like Superman?"  
  
"Yes, just like Superman I suppose."  
  
"So do you have to lift one arm up like this, or do you do the two arm thing?"  
  
He managed to show her his flying style in between broken laughter.  
  
"So is it fun?"  
  
"What flying?"  
  
"No, being a vampire. Living forever, seeing everything--all times, sleeping in late every day, healing quickly and that."  
  
"It's hell." He said slowly. "Don't ever think that any of this is fun or desirable. Only people matter, and I've seen more die than.No, it is not fun. It's actually a great stifling weight."  
  
"Oh." She nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"I'm sorry for the scare I gave you."  
  
"It wasn't you. Severus can be such an ass."  
  
"Well, at least you've come to this conclusion early on."  
  
"You're lovely, I couldn't be so stupid as to blame you. I was just very, very, very, very surprised. No, I blame Severus."  
  
He pat her knee wisely, "Don't let it eat you up."  
  
"No, we have a rhythm to things: We hold the grudge until we can injure the other person back--retribution or something or other. We're always rowing."  
  
"Interesting."  
  
"So, can you lift heavy things and fly with them?"  
  
"Yes, why? Do you have anything in mind? Drop boulders on Severus' head?"  
  
"Oh my God, why didn't I think of that? I'm losing my touch."  
  
"No, I've got a great idea though."  
At breakfast the next morning Georgie cleared her throat and looked poignantly at Severus, "Can we do something different tonight?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"You're supposed to just agree to whatever I ask because I'm lovely and your friend." She pouted and Remus choked on his tea.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Could we play a game? It's great exercise and even Andrew can play if we play at night--then the teams would be even as well. Oh, please?" She pleaded.  
  
Remus jumped in, "You know it'd be good to get some exercise, and to have a little competition and fun while we're at it." He stretched his arms out, "Lately I've been feeling like the old man I look."  
  
Georgie gave the man a quick side-hug, "No one would think you're old."  
  
Severus looked sour, but agreed to it if Andrew agreed as well.  
  
"Cracking! How about Auror-and-Assassin?" Remus suggested his mouth still full of food.  
  
"Has Georgie got you up to this?" Severus barked suspiciously.  
  
"Oh course not, though I like your style!" She winked at a sheepish Remus.  
  
The Potions Professor nodded, "I hadn't realized that was the true name of the.a-hem, game."  
  
"Why, what's Georgie call it," Remus' smile twinkled.  
  
"Asshole." She volunteered.  
Georgie and Severus spent a few hours down in the dungeons, Severus filling her in on the finer points of the organized Death Eater's attack strategy. Things like how to 'go around' no-apparate zones, break through lethal locking charms and traps.  
  
Georgie was fumbling with a hidden flame trap, when she stopped. "You know for a Potions Master, how is you don't have anything like that here? No laboratory, no vials, no ingredients, no cauldron? You'd think you were a Muggle household if it weren't for the elves." She paused. "Wait, or for the wands, the broomsticks, the enchanted books and the back staircase, the talking paintings, the floating torches.." She bit her lip. "Okay, scratch what I just said."  
  
He removed his hand from his chin where it had been resting as he sat observing his student learn. He stood up to bring himself to his full height and held out his hand to her.  
  
She frowned and took his hand and felt lifted up and pulled out of the room and around a corner in the dungeons. He hadn't been trying to mislead her when he said the dungeons were confusing. Plus there was a strange earthy smell coming from deeper inside the dark passages. And every so often, they passed a corridor that would lead off a few feet into the darkness, and a light breeze would blow at his robes and her hair.  
  
"This is larger than a train station," she muttered to herself. "We can't still be under your house."  
  
He didn't answer but instead stopped before a set of massive wooden doors. He pulled them open and stepped inside, allowing Georgie to step through before shutting them behind them both.  
  
"What, no locks?"  
  
"No need."  
  
He lit a dozen torches set high in the walls, making the place look almost.cheery? There were no windows, and no other doors. It was a square- cut room lined on three sides with bookcases. She stepped forward to a simple table covered with scraps of parchment bearing Severus' script. In the center of the room there stood four different cauldrons of varying sizes and metals. She turned around and on either side of the centered door were shelves filled with of a fair few jars, vials with stoppers, boxes and..  
  
"What nothing alive? Nothing fresh?" She jeered.  
  
"You haven't been outside to the owlery yet." At that she squirmed uncomfortably.  
  
"So what are you working on now?" Everything was meticulous: like a medical clinic or a scientist's laboratory. Everything scrupulously labeled and put away.  
  
"Now I'm not working on much. There's a few I've been working on for years on my own authority: Remus' wolfsbane is one of the improvements I've come up with. Years back I tried something for Andrew, but it failed." She was impressed he could speak so reasonably of his failures: she'd expected him to not acknowledge them at all. Sometimes cocky, sometimes reasonable.  
  
"I've developed a few counter-curses against the most common of Voldemort's arsenal, but nothing against the Unforgivables for example. I just don't have the time to devote myself wholly to it."  
  
She stood at a wall shelf and turned her head to read the contents of several vials.  
  
"Aurors every day take a safety-draught I made up that renders them immune to paralyzing jinxes and other spells that effect the body's ability to perform normal motor functions."  
  
"That's a very big deal." She said strongly. "How many of our people have been taken down on account of some silly, leg-locking spell or the like."  
  
He shrugged, "It's what I'm good at."  
  
"So when you're down here changing the course of history, what are you thinking?"  
  
He stared at her with unrestrained curiosity, "I usually think that it's a good thing I'm working for the 'good side'. If that wasn't so, then there would be no stopping me. No one in the Ministry or elsewhere would have a chance--all is lost, and it all hinges on me and my inclinations."  
  
"Ouch." She let out a low whistle; he was probably saying all that to impress something on her--responsibility or some other such rubbish. She turned and looked over the bent and beat parchments lying on the tabletop, "And these?"  
  
He came up behind her and looked down at the papers, "Theories I haven't tested yet. Someday I'll get around to it." He lifted them gently from her hands and glanced them over before setting them back in their place.  
  
"That's not right."  
  
He sneered at her, but this time it wasn't the cold degrading one as before. "I know what you'll say, and so don't bother. The ministry has me contribute in different ways. When I feel I have something here or in my revisions at Hogwarts I send it to a laboratory run by the Ministry for them to suss it out. They seem to feel that I impact more by teaching the next generation and for my keeping them on the up of Voldemort's plans."  
  
"The Ministry is sorely wrong."  
  
"I can't say, as I have no choice in the matter anyhow."  
  
"So resigned, so complacent--is this the bellowing, stormy, scarfing pig- headed Professor I know?" She shook her head.  
  
"Touched by your kind words, as always."  
  
She bowed grandly. "Just do me a favor then?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Get the Wolfsbane potion fixed up by the time they get married off?"  
  
He groaned and headed for the door.  
"How's it going--the training I mean." Remus was seated at the high table in the corner of the kitchen surrounded by parchment and quills when they emerged over-ground.  
  
"Great. I can break your neck in your sleep." She leaned over his shoulder and stole away a chocolate button and crammed it into her mouth.  
  
"Severus is that really necessary?" He looked concerned.  
  
"It's not necessary. I just thought it'd be fun."  
  
"You're idea of fun might not be ours." Remus tried to cover up what he was writing.  
  
Georgie stood next to him, "Oh Remus. You're my only friendship that's not going to get me killed--how can I not adore you!" She went to hug him, but instead snatched up another button.  
  
"Not true. What of Siobhan or Niamh?"  
  
"Wrong answer, you're supposed to say, 'What about Minerva or Hagrid or Hermione'?"  
  
"And why can't I mention her?"  
  
"No reason." Georgie mumbled straight away without pause, her mouth full of the chocolate again. "I just like giving you grief." Severus walked away from them. "Plus it irks him something awful." She smiled. "He can't stand the idea of anyone having success where he failed."  
  
"I can hear you!" Severus bellowed from across the room where he was dictating to Cassy.  
  
"Oh, you're referring to Lily." Remus replied matter-of-factly and dragged his parchment out from under his elbow.  
  
"What!" Georgie demanded more sharply than she meant to.  
  
Lupin looked genuinely surprised and brought his finger to his lips for her to stay quiet, looking beyond her to Severus. "Never mind: I misinterpreted as to what you were referring."  
  
"Oh sod it all!" She screeched, throwing her hands in the air and storming out of the kitchen, all eyes following her.  
Several hours passed and Remus Lupin managed to finish up his correspondence and was returning from the owlery when he overtook a brisk- walking Severus on the dark, well-worn pathway.  
  
"Out for a walk." He explained.  
  
"You never walk at Hogwarts."  
  
"Unless Georgie drags me into it." He said acridly.  
  
"It's healthy." Remus brushed away at a brunch that had tangled itself in his robes.  
  
"Since when have I cared for my own health and prolonging this wretched excuse for a life?"  
  
"Since this autumn." Remus smiled knowingly.  
  
"Watch yourself." Severus warned.  
  
"There's nothing wrong with a friendship."  
  
"There is something wrong with her."  
  
Remus laughed, "Bit rich coming from you! Still, I won't contradict you, because you'd become unreasonable all over again."  
  
Severus ignored him.  
  
"I must ask you though: why did you do that for me back at the ball?"  
  
Severus shrugged, slightly embarrassed, "I don't know."  
  
"Hm." They walked into the house then parted ways, Remus tacking on, "It was rather kind." He turned and walked away.  
  
Severus looked like the man had assaulted him.  
"I can't find Georgie." Andrew swept into the large library. Unlike the wizards, he adopted more of a Muggle fashion style, though for the most part he lived in the Wizarding World. He wore a shirt open at the collar and heavy brown trousers, a style Sirius Black sometimes sported.  
  
"I believe she's hiding," Severus didn't bother looking up from his book.  
  
"Oh really, how are you so sure?"  
  
Severus smiled a secret smile, "I just know."  
  
"And you don't want to get her."  
  
"I gather if she wants to hide, she wants to hide. Why do you need her?"  
  
"At least she's not drowned in the pool or the sea..Well, can you tell me where she is?"  
  
"She's in this room," Severus replied enigmatically.  
  
"You're impossible, old thing!" Andrew turned around and scanned the shelves and the curling staircase that rose to the upstairs. He stood before the stairs and stepped on letting them carry him up.  
  
Leaning over the rail he called down, "I can't very well go around calling out to her at thin air, can I?"  
  
"You could wait. But, I am amused by the prospect. Call out to the walls and see if the walls answer."  
  
"I'll never live it down if I do so."  
  
Severus chuckled.  
  
"You know I've never had this problem with you before--you're a terror!" Andrew stormed around on the upper floor.  
  
"Georgie! Where are you girl?"  
  
"Oh, don't call her girl," Severus warned. "On second thought, call her girl."  
  
"Georgie, Cassy's putting together a tea of your favorite things and wants to know what you would have!" Aside to Severus, "I feel like an idiot up here spouting and I don't even know if she's here."  
  
"Smart thinking: using food as bait. By the by, your position is quite cool to hers."  
  
"Thank you." Andrew skirted the room and stood by the opposite wall and rose his voice to the same words.  
  
A few seconds later a low scraping noise sounded and Georgie stepped out from behind a swinging shelf and into the room. "Yummers, food."  
  
Severus became interested in his volume once more, "So were you reading?"  
  
"Yes, how'd you know that?"  
  
"Tell you later. Go off now and help Cassy." And she bounced out.  
  
"So how is it you tell her about that place, and I've never been made privy to the information and I've been here for simply ages?" Andrew was turned in at the same wall examining the books, and testing several with little tugs.  
  
"She found it herself."  
  
Andrew straightened up, "She's a remarkable woman."  
  
"She's a Slytherin." Severus all but gloated.  
  
"More than that." Andrew whistled. "Is there anything she isn't good at?"  
  
Severus howled, "Thinking, thinking before speaking, controlling her temper, staying serious, staying in focus, discretion, perceptivity.shall I go on?"  
  
"Enough." Andrew held up his hands. "I like her, so don't ruin it for me."  
"Yes, get the sweets." Georgie demanded like a spoilt child.  
  
"What'll you have for puddings?" Remus asked.  
  
"I don't want puddings. I don't even like pudding."  
  
Snape snorted, "You have to be literal with her. It's that strange upbringing she's had."  
  
"Don't speak over me." She punched him. "You condescending yobbo."  
  
"For dessert. Biscuits?" Remus stepped between them.  
  
"That I know!" She took up a couple and stepped back.  
  
"It's like with Australians: they've almost got it the same, then they throw some queer phrase in and then you're at confused about the whole thing." Remus conjectured. "Dinkum.."  
  
"I'm not Australian, I was born in America." She pointed out with a chocolate wafer.  
  
"Yes, but you're not from there." Severus growled.  
  
"But she's not a Polish National either."  
  
"Nor is she English, nor Canadian--Her parents," Severus answered Remus' look.  
  
"Polynesian." Georgie offered.  
  
"Yes, that explains the hair and the affinity for cane sugar." Remus quipped.  
  
"What's so wrong with my hair?"  
  
"It's attached to your head." Even she had to laugh along with that. Suddenly Snape asked, "Are you enjoying this rather isolated Holiday?"  
  
She coughed, "On one hand I'd love to be on permanent holiday and swim and walk every evening and do nothing but read novels, but I miss the castle and having work to do." At least Severus had his laboratory if he chose to busy himself that way.  
  
"I do as well. I look forward to the start of term." Remus said.  
  
"I was planning on leaving the day after next if that's fine by you both. Andrew's to remain if you feel like staying.."  
  
Remus assured him that they would follow his plan, of course, and Georgie piped up in accordance. Truth was she wouldn't look forward to staying alone there with no one around to talk with during the day if they went on. She wasn't at all superstitious, but the very thought made her feel creepy. No, that would be no fun at all.  
  
"Well, we still have our fun tonight though." She teased.  
"So you're going with the lot of them?"  
  
"Yup. And you're staying for a few more weeks here? What is it you do then?"  
  
"Do? By occupation I'm considered an expert on antiquities--I am a consultant to museums and private collectors. I move around quite a bit, stay indoors a good deal of time, of course, mostly underground. I lived through most of it, so I'm an expert in a way. It's hard not to jump in when modern historians and anthropologists try to speculate and piece together history and they're so very far off the mark." He chuckled.  
  
"So who killed JFK?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"No really."  
  
"That will just remain one of life's great mysteries won't it now?"  
  
"I liked JFK," she muttered into her hands.  
  
"You weren't even alive then."  
  
"So? I still liked the man. I like St. Thomas Aquinas and Louis the Fourteenth as well--never met any of them either."  
  
"Can't help you there. I try and keep a low-profile."  
  
"Clever. Do you ever go by Andy? Or just Andrew?"  
  
"My full name is really Andre. Andre-Jean Louisnard Carris.  
  
She thrust her hand out, "Pleasure to meet you then. Again."  
  
"But I prefer Andrew."  
  
"It's got a nice ring to it. You look like an Andrew. So you don't eat anything? Not even sweets?"  
  
"I can eat sweets and real food, it just doesn't 'nourish' me as it 'nourishes' you. It's as if you 'could' eat paper, but what good would it do you? Very little, so don't bother."  
  
"But there's chocolate!"  
  
"Yes, and would you rather I sucked on it for the flavor then spat it out?"  
  
"I would." She grumbled, and glared at him as if he were a traitor.  
  
"Not after a few hundred years."  
  
"Want to bet on that?"  
  
"You'd lose."  
  
"Damn, I hate it when people are so self-assured. I like the gullible ones that I can suck into my dastardly plans." She rubbed her hands together excitedly. "Can I see your fangs?" She asked artlessly.  
  
"No, and Andrew don't let her bully you." Severus glided through the open door.  
  
"Shouldn't listen at doors, Batty." She scowled and sunk in her chair gloomily.  
  
Andrew grinned widely. "Don't worry, I've got her under my thumb, Severus." But he winked at her.  
  
Severus snorted offensively. "That'll be the day.." And seated himself at her right hand.  
  
"Hey, I very well could be under.What the devil am I talking about? Why would I want to be? Ignore everything I've said." She prattled.  
  
"You heard the lady." Andrew pointed out.  
  
"Except the fangs bit." She added.  
  
"Georgie, don't harass my friends!" Severus roared.  
  
"Oh, get over yourself, he can say no for himself if he chooses to. And I'd respect that, so just hush up."  
  
"Yes, but that's an abysmally rude question. You're prying into the man's mouth for Merlin's sake!"  
  
"I'm just trying to be open and friendly! I'm curious about him and think he's great--I'm not going to point and giggle like an empty-headed child. You don't have to be here to protect others from me, as if everything I were going to say might do damage."  
  
"But you do damage, sure you don't mean to, but you have these little things, these stupid little ridiculous quirks that drive others insane. Of course I'm going to try and shield others from you and your annoying ways!" He was virtually shouting by that point in time.  
  
She just stared at him; "I apologize if I've overstepped myself. I didn't realize I.I apologize." She got quickly to her feet and fled.  
  
Silence hung heavy in the air. Andrew didn't want to say anything too controversial or turncoat, especially as he looked explosive still, but..  
  
"I would have showed her my teeth, Severus. I thought it was cute." He began with.  
  
"I knew that."  
  
"Then.?" He prompted easily.  
  
"I'm an old fool." He wanted to hit his head against the table they sat at, or kick a wall, or burn something.but that would show a lack of control. There'd been enough of that for the evening.  
  
"No one's old here except me, and even I have my facilities so it's not a valid excuse is it?"  
  
"No, I have a feeling that if I knew Georgie for a hundred years, we'd still have petty arguments and shoot barbs at one another."  
  
"Some people do that everyday like clockwork, doesn't mean it's the end of the world."  
  
"No, it's just not a good thing."  
  
"You both have been flying on a whirlwind these past few months. To make such fast friends and to be able to click.no don't go expecting a miracle there." A slow smile spread across Andrew's pale face. "It would have been nice to hear about her before meeting her though.."  
  
Severus looked taken aback, or disgusted--Andrew wasn't sure which, "Why would I do that? She's just a girl."  
  
"Oh well, when you strip it all down to that, I wonder why you brought her here now and before."  
  
"She's a friend." He reluctantly admitted.  
  
"Is that so difficult to admit? And to whom? Yourself or others? I'd be more ashamed to have none than to have one like Miss George."  
  
"That's your perspective." Severus drawled.  
  
"I've never known you for a fool before Severus Snape, don't change my opinion of you here, now." Andrew warned suddenly looking angry.  
  
Severus leaned his elbows on the table and massaged his temples. "I'm out of control these days--it's not as bad as I'm making it out to sound, but she just seems to get under my skin and makes me want to say everything I'm thinking--rude or not--and curse her on top of it all."  
  
"I am feeling the same happy feelings toward you right now, so I can relate." Andrew beamed on the younger man. "Georgie may not be." He paused and seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "The best Ambassador for.well, any cause," Severus managed a smile. "But she's a good friend to you, and you're a good one in return, or so I've heard. You really can't ask for more from any man.or witch."  
  
"The truth of it is, you're changing. That requires time to get used to." Andrew stretched his long legs out under the table, "You've heard me say it before and I'm going to say it once again: this life's too short to die over every argument or difference we see in others. I wish someone had pointed that out to me a long time ago."  
  
"That doesn't excuse her mouth." Severus grumbled.  
  
"Her swearing, you mean? Not ladylike?" Andrew threw back his head and laughed so hard he was left clutching his side. "I went through a phase like that when I was in my early hundreds.. It, like everything, shall pass."  
  
"And if memory serves, you went through an interesting phase yourself when you were a student at Hogwarts."  
  
"Unfortunately your memory does serve. And I'd ask you not to tell others about that."  
  
"If you wish it." Andrew shrugged. "Now, I'm a bit hungry, and if I remember correctly you had no love of watching me feed, so I'll ask that you go find my new little friend and talk with her. For me."  
  
"I don't do anything for you." Severus pushed out his chair and walked away.  
"So can I still do something awful to you? It's only fair! Like a public humiliation?"  
  
"No." They were going down the hallways chatting idly. She was nearly running to keep up with his quick strides.  
  
"How about when I'm teaching your class I let something slip.oh, oops, I let it go that you got a bear."  
  
"NO."  
  
"I'm joking, I like having a card to hold on to."  
  
He smirked, "That's a wise plan. Even if it is to be used against me."  
  
"Did you know Andrew speaks nine different languages! That's mad!" She squealed.  
  
"Somehow it never came up in our conversations."  
  
"Am I really annoying?"  
  
He looked down at her curiously and walked on. "No, I'm only upset at myself."  
  
"Whatever for?"  
  
"I am out of control."  
  
"Oh yes, I can see that so clearly." She balked sarcastically.  
  
"It's true."  
  
"I don't see your right hand turning on your left hand. You function as a professor as always, you still make up your potions, you manage to spend half the day being snide--oh, I think things are just fine for you."  
  
"It's easy for you; you wake, you eat, you study, you sleep. If you pass your N.E.W.T.S you'll be fine. That's all."  
  
"Wow, I'm insulted by how little you think of my life." She laughed.  
  
"Likewise, though I don't think little of it."  
  
"Yes, you do. I'll be honest with you." She grabbed his sleeve and dragged him to a stop and forced him to look at her. "You look at me wrong. You look at me as something beneath what I am. You're all condescension and distrust. One day you'll wake up and see me for who I am, for who I should be seen as. Not as a girl, or as entertainment, or merely as a responsibility or an annoyance with which you must be stalwart and put up with."  
  
"Heavy charges indeed. Are you going to break out into some sort of feminism I-am-Woman foolishness, because I don't want to hear it." He wasn't taking her seriously. "So duty calls is it? I have you here because I'm obligated, or I'm desperate, is that it?"  
  
Georgie sighed and walked on, "No, you're missing the point, and I'm doing an ill job of telling it."  
  
"That and I'm not listening."  
  
She clutched his sleeve absent-mindedly, "At least you're honest--that's a start, and I greatly appreciate it."  
  
"How is it I never have a conversation of this.magnitude, with Remus or Andrew?"  
  
"It's because I'm a girl perhaps, or, oh I don't know. I have conversations like this often enough, even with Remus. Well this is a crash-course, welcome to the living Severus Snape. This is how friends talk sometimes." She was annoyed.  
  
"You're upset."  
  
"What do you see when you see me?"  
  
"This is a trick question. You'll rip me apart no matter what I say, isn't that right?"  
  
"Probably."  
  
He heaved a sigh, and quickly ticked off on his fingers "Female. Smart. Talkative. Sensitive. Proud. Loyal. Short. Are any of these right?"  
  
She shrugged, "I just wanted to know. I don't think there is a right answer. I wasn't asking just to hear things, I just don't really know myself."  
  
"But that wasn't it?"  
  
"I don't know. I don't think so. I'm just Georgie." She replied sadly.  
  
"At least you're not upset any longer," He ruffled her hair up playfully, but still in his standoffish way.  
  
"True, I can't stay angry long."  
  
"I used to be able to." His eyes twinkled.  
  
"So you miss that?"  
  
"Yes. I miss the predictability and stability my life held. But don't get me wrong, I'm still an unpleasant person."  
  
"Don't worry, I remember." She played with the ring on her finger mirthfully. "You really ought to try integrating colors into your wardrobe..."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"But you'd look so jolly." He gawked at her. "Okay, poor choice of wording, but still, you know what I mean. Even if only for shock value."  
  
"If I want assistance with a 'new look' I'll know where to find you."  
  
"You've got six months!" She said.  
  
Severus opened his mouth, and then clamped it shut. How many times over the past few weeks had he almost let it slip about Dumbledore's plans for the Mediwizardry class, and her possibly staying on as an instructor? Instead he just smiled a thin-lipped smile and murmured, "Perhaps."  
The night of the game that Georgie had suggested had ended up with everyone, even Severus, in very pleasant spirits. Georgie and Andrew had teamed up against Remus and Severus and had 'killed' them both very easily. Severus insisted that having Andrew fly Georgie all over the island so she could get marvelous clear shots at them wasn't a fair advantage, but Remus admitted the game is a simulation and in life, people might use brooms to fly--or vampires. 


	20. Chapter Twenty Blackout

Chapter 20--Blackout  
  
"We'll just see then won't we?" She had taunted over her shoulder as she snatched up her books and ran out the door. That had been the last time. This time, she found that he wasn't to be found. They had flown back to Hogwarts in time for the New Year and to recover from their active resting.  
  
Hogwarts was so loud--even in the dungeons, Severus had mused. He avoided his office after classes as the Slytherin Students were having an especially difficult time of working out their own problems. What am I, a nanny? He'd wanted to yell at the last pair Filch had dragged into his office for dueling in the corridors.  
  
He wouldn't out and admit that he was hiding, but he wasn't to be found in his office or even in his lounge. Minerva had stopped by the dungeons some days before looking for him and Georgie had not been able to enlighten her. Minerva remarked that he hadn't been in his office or the staff room, and as it wasn't time for meals or classes at that time in the evening she wondered what he could be up to.  
  
But when he returned she didn't pry: she felt that he'd feel better knowing that there was at least one person that would allow him to keep his secrets and thoughts to himself. Though she honestly didn't know for how long she'd last. She was a very curious person.  
  
Minerva had sat down and Georgie relished the role reversal as she made the woman a cup of tea on her home turf. "Maybe he's got some deep, dark secret." Georgie suggested with a hint of things mischievous on her voice.  
  
"Dear, Severus has so many deep, dark secrets he couldn't handle any more." She said primly.  
  
"Yes he could! I know he's got that delightfully dark and tragic past, but he's bigger than that. He's got room for new tragedies now. The past is in the past for him."  
  
Minerva set her cup down gingerly. "I can agree with a great many things you have to say, but that isn't one of them. Severus still shows such unveiled favoritism towards his own house and hostility to the others, he's a preposterous figure. The self-pity and perpetual blackness--inside and out--there's something wrong to go on for years like that. At first we on staff thought it was a phase, but he never did turn over that new leaf. He still much as he always was."  
  
Georgie remained calm to the challenge, smiling shyly. "He has valid reasons for that bias, I assure you. As to the self-hatred, oh yes he still hates himself." Minerva gave her a look as if to say, see there, I told you so. "But it's his way of mourning and punishing himself. You are aware of the lengths he goes to punish himself," Georgie said with deep meaning, "And if he gets killed for it, Snape would be thrilled. Yes, he's sick. But I do have to say he has impressed me with his sense of duty and discipline. At least he realizes he's done nasty things and needs to pay for it." Georgie was getting worked up and set down her cup so she wouldn't tip it over if she got into a heated debate.  
  
"No, I believe the Ministry doled out his punishment--and an adequate one. He's a fool for prolonging and adding to it needlessly."  
  
"Why should it end? Who says it needs to be over with? It's his conscience and he lives with it every day. And beyond that, his punishment helps us all. Perhaps for others who have very little to bear it makes sense to 'get the thing over and done with as quickly as possible', but to have seen the things he's seen. I don't envy him or the position he's placed himself."  
  
"But to surround oneself with darkness, hatred and grief. What's the point of living with that? And what kind of living would it be? Not one I'd fancy very much."  
  
"I don't know that." She frowned. "But I always gathered the dismal environment and shutting himself away from the world served as a reminder to what was done and needs to be done. A bit like war memorials and museums--No they're not pleasant, but it's good to visit them and think on bad things so you continue in the good things."  
  
"I think a great deal of this stems from attention. He will forever go down as the former Death Eater, the pitiful, overly cruel, and sad Professor Snape."  
  
Georgie snorted, "I can tell you if he wanted to be remembered for anything, certainly being a creature to evoke pity wouldn't be it. He's an absolute genius at Potions, and in this I'm not biased. I think he's just gotten so into the habit of being mean and no one bothered to stop him in the pursuit that it just became his world to him.  
  
"But you pity him?" Minerva gave her a sidelong glance.  
  
Georgie scrunched up her face, "I can't help it, even though he's asked me not to. But it's getting harder and harder to do so. Every once in a while he'll do something good, or smile or laugh or be generous.he's always had it in him, people never gave him credit for it."  
  
"I wish I could share your optimism and ability to see the good in him. And after all your fighting and arguing and injuring one another!" Minerva seemed amazed.  
  
"Oh, don't say that! I'm not the most pleasant person to get along with. You just get to see the public Georgie. The Slytherin-at-Home Georgie is a monster!" She giggled.  
  
"I believe that."  
  
"Good, because it's perfectly true."  
  
"I just can't imagine Severus laughing," Minerva wagged her head and her hat top flopped with the motion.  
  
"He's not the lost person the world thought he was, though he just can't be bothered to tell anyone this." Even himself.  
  
"So his real sin is for particular laziness."  
  
"I guess so. That and he's a real bastard."  
  
"Georgie!" Minerva gasped. "I think Severus does better on his own without your defending him."  
  
Georgie laughed heartily, "I know, but it's hard to describe him as I know him. He's a bastard and cruel and mean and just all around awful, but then again he's also a good person: kind and funny, helpful.ah, this will never do!"  
  
"In every heart there is an element of darkness as well as light. Severus just chooses to wear the former on his sleeve." Minerva remarked.  
After lessons were hastily planned between the two women for the upcoming week--"Yeah, solo teaching." Georgie had cheered obviously not enthused-- Georgie set off to finish her own schoolwork in the library.  
  
Truth be told, but Georgie detested the Hogwarts Library. It was dusty and not very organized; not that she blamed Madam Pince. She found a smaller table set up against a window and spread her Divination book out before her and got to her reading.  
  
The sun had set already an hour earlier and she was struggling to read by the candlelight scattered along the walls and table of the lofty room. It was her own fault she picked a place apart from everyone else and the light..  
  
She sat up straight and cracked her knuckles and her back, before turning around in her chair. Siobhan stood directly behind her. "Geez!" She breathed heavily, "What is it with people here and sneaking up on everyone else. Sit down you bitch." She laughed breathlessly.  
  
"You're the only one of my friends cheeky enough to call me bitch and close enough that I allow you to." Siobhan tossed her hair over her shoulder and reached across the table to poke into what Georgie was up to.  
  
On recognizing it, she dropped it disdainfully, "Ew."  
  
"So what've you been up to?" She hadn't really spoken with the girl since the students returned to school.  
  
"Breaking the law." Siobhan hinted slyly.  
  
"How? What did you do?"  
  
"I stole my parents car and drove the motorway all the way to Dublin."  
  
Georgie cackled and grabbed her side. "I didn't know your parents had a car!" Was all she could manage to articulate.  
  
"Well, they do and I got in a row with them, so I stole it and went out to the city for a little fun. Didn't find any though."  
  
Georgie nodded understanding how families could get on each others' last nerves over the holidays. "Did you get in much trouble?"  
  
"Yes, but it was worth it. My Ma yelled for hours and hours about how Niamh never does anything like that, but someday it'll be a shock to her.Niamh is missing out. 'Sides there's not much they can do to control me from all the way over there."  
  
"You wild, wild woman."  
  
"Yeah, that's me." She grinned proudly. "So tell me about your holiday with the Snake."  
  
"Oy, kiss off! It was fun, you wouldn't believe his place." She cleared her throat; "Lupin came along."  
  
"Lord help me if I hear that name again!" She howled.  
  
"Shh!"  
  
"Niamh can't talk to anyone about anything like that, unless it's me--well or you, but you were with him. Anyhow, they wrote letters back and forth the whole time and get this: they weren't even good letters! They were like I'd send to my boring cousins if my Ma forced me to write them. All full of 'having a good time, wish you were here,' rubbish. I was forced to listen to his and to hers before she posted them by owl."  
  
"I'm sorry for bringing it up, for some stupid reason I figured it'd be news to you." Georgie slammed her book closed dramatically. "The rest of the time was great though, brilliant, we went hill-walking every day, I went swimming in the sea a few time--yes I know, It was freezing! But it was good, good conversation and quiet pleasant evenings. No complaints really." As an afterthought she added referring back to her sister, "At least you won't be forced to do the same thing here."  
  
Siobhan bit her lip, "No, but she's already in the habit of spending extra hours with him tutoring her. Isn't that illegal, you know, hands off the students and all? Maybe I could report him to Snape and get him in trouble." In almost a whisper, she added, "Hands off my sister."  
  
"They haven't done anything! I know as well as you do the truth, but what proof have we got? They wrote boring friendly letters and she gets extra help with her schoolwork--she's always been poor at that class from the start. We'd sound like a couple of irrational girls to anyone if we brought it up. 'Sides I think Snape knows something of it."  
  
"Then why doesn't he stop it?  
  
"Why do you want to stop it? Okay, granted student-teacher relationships are nasty at best, but what if she had graduated and it'd be fine? Would you have a complaint against him then?"  
  
"No. He's okay." She skulked.  
  
"Snape doesn't stop it because I reckon he sees little evidence for interference, it all depends on if they stay clean."  
  
"Clean?"  
  
"No snogging in the hallways, no pregnancies, that sort of stuff. Hands off of her until she's gone. Niamh already knows this."  
  
Siobhan gagged, "Pregnancies."  
  
"Oh come on, you're a 'wild woman', aren't you?"  
  
"Not that wild. Ew, a teacher."  
  
"Yeah, ew. Good, graduate first dear." Georgie headed for the door. "Want to stop by the kitchens? Some Diet Coke will set us up just fine."  
"So all I do is write the ingredients on the board then?" Georgie sat on the nearest student's desk to Severus in his classroom.  
  
"Well, you make sure they do it correctly of course." He reminded.  
  
"Gee, here was I all under the impression that I let them do it all wrong, then award them points for how big of a bang they can produce."  
  
"On second thought, perhaps I will stay in the classroom."  
  
"No! I was just joking. I'll do it right, really you don't need to be there." He simpered and smiled, knowing he'd gotten to her.  
  
"But at the beginning, I ask the questions on the toad's liver's uses and the Erumpent tail--do you really want me to explode here?" Of course he would have her teach that class, with those exceptionally hazardous ingredients.  
  
"No, not particularly."  
  
"Should I talk about Expanding properties--or not?"  
  
"It'll be your class, talk on whatever you like, so long as no one dies." He got up and walked toward the door.  
  
Getting the hint and following, "But it's your class, don't you want the final say as to what's well, said there?"  
  
"You're always ranting about how I don't trust you.I'm trusting you. Don't mess up." He turned and extinguished the light in the classroom and locked the door behind them. "Besides you need to learn to teach your own class."  
  
"Why?!" She nearly shrieked. "Why does everyone think it's part of a regular student's curriculum to teach others--it's not! I'm not a Professor; I'm going off to sell Butterbeers and to have a grand time. None of this will matter then." She raised her voice and it echoed down the stone halls. "I don't mind doing it, but Potions isn't my thing, you realize this don't you? Transfiguration isn't my thing. My thing is..Oh, I don't know what it is, but it's certainly not teaching. I don't need to learn to teach anything."  
  
"Are you finished?" He paused outside of the Common Room's hidden entrance.  
  
"Yes," She replied sullenly.  
  
"Good, listen hard. You missed the point entirely. I'm having you do this on the off chance that I fail to show up for some reason--you yourself agreed this was a sensible decision. You need to learn to teach now as opposed to later; now when I can help you plan and answer your questions."  
  
"I forgot about that."  
  
"I realize." He pushed a stray strand of hair out of his eye and kept his voice down and level. "My point is that I trust you to do what's right and responsible. To not kill students, unless.."  
  
"They're Gryffindor." She finished for him.  
  
"Precisely." He whispered the password and they both stepped inside the Common Room, glowing with it's green-tinged fire that danced on the polished furniture. Opening the lounge's door he called out, "I'll not force you to do anything you don't want to do, or that you can't. I'll save humiliation for others not so much in my favor."  
  
She tromped after him, undoing her robes clasps and unrolling the sweater underneath's sleeves. "I'm going to do it, I just felt a bout of selfishness back there. I think I'm mental. Sorry."  
  
"We're all entitled."  
  
"No, But you're right I can handle it and it's a good precaution. In the past who's taken over for you?"  
  
"No one, classes were cancelled." He smiled darkly, "And no, my classes has only been cancelled a handful of times altogether."  
  
"Get out of my mind!" She mocked and held her head in her hands.  
Later, Snape looked up and Georgie was biting her fingernails and staring mesmerized into the fire. She didn't hear him as he got up and approached her. He lifted her fingers away from her face, and set them in her lap, ignoring that they were covered in drool. "You'll be fine, I gave you Gryffindors and Slytherin. Don't worry: they'll mind you. Now go off to sleep."  
Severus lied, She closed her eyes for a brief moment, this is not fine. This is bad. The class had gone swimmingly at first, she'd heard scribbling as she'd put up on the board the ingredients and amounts, most of the questions were answered to her satisfaction and she'd felt it was okay to start in on the preparation work. But who knew third years could be so hazard-prone? To be sure it wasn't anything drastic, one Gryffindor boy gave himself a nasty deep cut with his knife, but a Slytherin girl managed to spill a vial of bile all over her neighbor's desk--and they weren't even using bile! This is ridiculous.  
  
She walked around the classroom giving dark looks at all of the students if they caught her eyes. Another Gryffindor boy in the back appeared to know what he was doing so she went and stood behind him watching what he did.  
  
"What is that you're putting in?" She stepped over to face him.  
  
"Rat liver."  
  
"No, I think not. You must use toad's liver or none at all. Is that understood? I'll not stand for sub-standard potion making while Professor Snape is out." She walked on.  
  
She approached a Slytherin girl and her partner--a boy she didn't know. "Good job, that color is just about right. Make sure it doesn't go to a boil though."  
  
She walked around several more times and tried to look as serious about the subject as she could muster up within herself. She went back to the head of the classroom and wrote down the readings they were to finish before the next class. She announced the reading and had just started down the middle of the classroom to finish supervising when she heard a strange hiss coming from the left side of the class.  
  
She halted and looked over to where two very frightened looking boys were backing away from their shared cauldron, which was jumping on it's fire as the contents sputtered and shot out and onto the floor. "Oh goodness, don't back away and just leave it there!" She hissed in exasperation. But before she got all the words out, there was an explosion and all of the heated contents were now all over the floor, the two boys, their nearest neighbors and Georgie.  
  
The rest of the students stopped their own projects and stared at the commotion. Georgie just stood there in shock, why does this need to happen to me--today? But just as that thought came another replaced it: Severus has a cauldron explode nearly every day, and if this is the worst there is, no problem. A happy though mixed with the blood thumping in her chest.  
  
She was wrenched back into reality by the sound of a little blonde girl, sniffling and holding her arm covered in the dark rose liquid.  
  
Georgie crossed the few steps between them and asked, "Is everyone all right? Breathing?" The girl whimpered even louder. "What happened?" Georgie didn't realize it but her voice had gone up several octaves.  
  
One of the two boys spoke up, "Don't know Miss Flaing, but we think we had a bit of the Erumpent's horn mixed in with the tail."  
  
"That is unacceptable. We never mix in questionable ingredients. Never." She barked, ignoring the nagging thought that Severus mixed in unknowns all the time. "That's 20 points from Slytherin and 20 from Gryffindor," She announced on determining their houses. She waved her hand and most of the potion disappeared. "You'll spend the rest of the class cleaning the rest of this up. The rest of you," She looked to the class, "Will finish your potions without disaster if it wouldn't be too much to ask."  
  
There was a murmur amongst the students about the steep docking of points, but no more accidents. The class ended and after not very long everyone had cleaned up their workstations and cauldrons. Georgie gathered the sniveling girl and two others with injuries and marched them up to Madam Pomfrey, who had them in and out in ten minutes.  
  
Georgie lingered around until the last student left, "God, that was pure hell." She laughed.  
  
"What are you doing taking over for Snape? Have you taken leave of your senses?"  
  
"Probably. I'm learning the ropes." Georgie shrugged.  
  
"But in Potions?" The older woman put lids on jars and closed cabinets. "That class is almost as dangerous as Hagrid's."  
  
"Nothing's as bad as Hagrid's--I'm in it." She walked back towards the door out. "Danger is my middle name. George Danger Flaing. God, that sounds like a disease."  
  
Pomfrey patted her on the shoulder. "Well, it could've been much worse. By the way you look nice."  
  
"Nice?" Georgie frowned. That word wasn't a familiar one for her really.  
  
"Not in your school robes--in your normal, longer robes. Suits you." Georgie looked down at herself.  
  
"Thank you, I guess."  
  
"You look all grown-up."  
  
"I am grown up." She felt her temperature rise.  
  
"Well now you look it. Now get out of here before I feel the need to wrap something of yours in bandages." Georgie waved as she marched out into the corridor.  
  
Severus was standing with his back towards her in the middle of the classroom when she returned to it; otherwise the place was empty and clean. "No one died, I would have heard of it by this time."  
  
"O ye of little faith." She yawned. "Just a teensy accident--points taken from both houses for it too." She informed him matter-of-factly.  
  
"Excellent. How do you feel it went?"  
  
"I hate that question already: fine all in all. The worst is over I figure, but I think you're rubbing off on me."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"I felt like I was seeing myself through someone else's eyes. I got really upset at the students for not taking this seriously and for being so flippant and careless. Georgie regularly wouldn't care, but Professor George was pissed off."  
  
"Strange how responsibility warps the senses." His dark eyes flashed at her, "So you really got upset at them? Did you yell?"  
  
Georgie squirmed under the scrutiny, "Just a bit, and not for long. I just got upset--I mean, other people were hurt and they don't seem to understand that these are powerful and dangerous substances. It made me angry."  
  
"You're the first student to ever understand that."  
  
"Maybe you should make them all have a go at teaching for a lesson--see how they like it." She growled.  
  
He shrugged and stared at her. She narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"Well," She sighed, stretching her arms out before her, "Let me try the next one, then I'll tell you how it goes at lunch."  
  
His mouth twitched and he with a look of amusement, he nodded and smirked his way out the door. She sat down behind his desk to await the same year Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students. Severus had been making her nervous--as he often did. She knew he was curious as to how she taught, but he was kind enough to respect her wish to fly solo and unobserved.  
  
She coughed into her hand and stood up to tidy up the chalkboard. The students were arriving early.  
Georgie hummed and idly walked the corridors. She didn't have anywhere she would need to be and no work to work on. Usually she took full advantage of her leisure time, but that was when others were free to join her as well. She felt some strange naughty sort of feeling as she passed closed classroom doors where she knew others were learning--and here she was just walking and trying to get herself lost..  
  
She turned a corner and saw a figure turned away from her gazing down through a window at the courtyard. She walked towards the person and recognized it to be Albus Dumbledore. She never knew what to do when one approached another who was still a long way off: should you call out and smile at one another until you were close enough for private conversation, or just stay silent until you've reached that spot? She chose the later and stepped up next to the absorbed man and followed his gaze outside. She thought he hadn't realized she was there, until he broke the silence, "How are you enjoying this fine day?"  
  
She flushed, "One of my more difficult, but." She looked out at the birds wheeling through the sky at their eye-level, "It's still a marvelous day."  
  
"Severus informed me you taught in his place. How did you find it?"  
  
"I can handle them, sir." She tried to sound stronger about the effort than she felt. He seemed to understand, for he patted her arm gently.  
  
"I highly doubt there will ever arise the occasion for you to put into practice what you've learned today, I'm afraid. Professor Snape is too strubborn for much of that."  
  
"Well, we all hope that is true. But between us, I think Severus was testing me more than training me as a mere precaution."  
  
"Oh?" She had piqued his interest.  
  
"Yes, he knows I am capable at potions, and I have no qualms about teaching the lesson. I think this has some part of building up an illusion--perhaps to cover for himself, perhaps as an explanation for me.I'm not sure."  
  
"You could ask Severus: there's not much he wouldn't tell you if you asked it of him."  
  
She tore away from the window, "No, that's not true. I know there's quite a bit he hasn't told me and I loathe learning things from others or trying to drag it from him. Besides I simply can't ask him. He's a bit funny like that, full of secrets and ulterior motives--it's maddening."  
  
"He has his reasons. When he's ready he'll tell you."  
  
"And until then I just twiddle my thumbs?"  
  
"If you care for that sort of amusement. I prefer walking and chess over finger exercises."  
  
"As do I!" She chuckled. "Well, not so much chess, but.."  
  
"I'm feeling a bit parched, would you like to walk with me to my office? I'm about to make a pot of tea." She agreed and they set off side by side. "You must forgive me, I'm an old man and I need regular times for putting my feet up." She giggled at the mental picture.  
  
"You and Remus seem to be getting along pretty as well." He asked noncommittally.  
  
"Yes, he's such fun. I can be young and stupid with Remus when I can't always be so with Severus. It's sort of a funny thing how I have companions for all my sorts of moods. Severus is my all-purpose sort of friend."  
  
Dumbledore tittered, "He wouldn't be as pleased to hear you refer to him like a household cleaner, but I follow."  
  
"But sometimes he's so.well uncommunicative and sour."  
  
"He's always been known as somewhat..reserved." Dumbledore pointed out.  
  
"Beyond reserved, nearly reclusive. At least he's not so horrid now as I hear he once was. Minerva is my female friend and we can talk about the feminine arts and go shopping and gossip--she is a fabulous gossip you do realize. Remus is my rowdy friend, he keeps me in check, keeps me from bungee jumping from the Astronomy Tower and more...""  
  
He spoke the password to his door, "Oh, promise you'll do nothing of that sort."  
  
She rolled her eyes, "Couldn't find the equipment anyway. And lastly the Malone twins keep me young."  
  
"Yes, and it's been so good to see young Niamh blossom out from under our eyes. I hear she is interested in becoming an Auror. You must be a good influence on her."  
  
"Yeah, must be." She didn't think that that was it at all. She looked around and settled herself in an armchair. Albus disappeared into a room off to the side and she looked around curiously. Fawkes was preening in the sunlight barely wafting through the window from the chilled winter's day. She spotted on the top of a mid-sized bookshelf a yellowing photograph in a frame showing Dumbledore smiling and turning his head next to a gaunt man in front of massive stone building. She bit her lip and examined it from where she sat.  
  
He entered carrying a tiny silver tray and set it on the table between them. "Um, Professor? Have you ever been to Poland?"  
  
"Yes, I have a friend there." He seated himself slowly. "His name is John. Teaches at The Institute. Haven't seen him for years though--I believe his appearance has greatly changed." He added sugar to his cup and brought it to his lips. Georgie was puzzled: she had been in his office several times and the picture had never been there before. Was it possible that Dumbledore knew he'd meet with her today so he'd set it out for her to find? She shivered involuntarily.  
  
She looked straight at the grinning figure in the picture, "I knew him--he taught one of my fourth year classes--very knowledgeable man."  
  
"Yes. Very knowledgeable."  
  
Her mind was reeling: why this? Was this meaning something--trying to tell her something? Why the picture now then? And what a surprising connection..him of all the people..  
  
"George, what are your plans when you finish with us here?"  
  
That question was wholly unexpected. "To tell the truth, I haven't any real solid or clear plans. I've thought about applying to the ministry for a position utilizing my Mediwizardry skills. But I am also sort of a social person, so perhaps I'll work in a shop or some such place for a bit." Wow, she thought, actually out and saying it made her feel very ill prepared.  
  
"I foresee a great need for Mediwizards and witches in the next few critical years. Every day I hear of some new attack, soon I don't know if I can keep Hogwarts safe." The old man confided in her. She bit her lip with worry; oh don't say that! I want to hear that everything is safe and secure here--that the outside can't break through.  
  
"Well, you do have the most qualified staff ready to assist you right here." She burbled.  
  
He smiled quietly, "Yes, they are here ready to assist in the training of the next generation of young people. And yet," He paused and drew a breath, " And yet, some sectors of jobs won't be provided for. Such as the crucial Mediwizardry."  
  
"But there's the training at the Ministry, isn't there Professor?"  
  
"Yes, but that program can't train fast enough to keep up with Ministry demands and Auror teams." She nodded at him; suddenly very aware at the grave turn the dialogue was taking.  
  
He placed his cup into the cradle of the saucer, "No, for the last few years I've been considering adding to our curriculum the option of proper Mediwizard training."  
  
"Wow, that's insane."  
  
His eyes twinkled and his mouth turned up at the corners, "Oh really? How so?"  
  
"Just how dangerous that is. Really if Potions are already so dangerous and the students perform as well as they did today, then of course they wouldn't take it seriously. Mediwizardry is ten times as potentially harmful to a body. Besides, it'd take a good two to three years of classes, I reckon. I did the crash course in a few months, but that was out of necessity. Besides, isn't it rather a dry subject?"  
  
"Depends all in the Professor."  
  
"Pomfrey could do a decent job of it if she didn't have to tend to the Hospital Wing."  
  
"I have thought that as well, but she has no desire to leave her duties in the Hospital Wing and on this occasion I think we will need to look outside of the current Hogwarts staff." He took up his cup again.  
  
Georgie was confused as to why he was sharing these plans with her, one so utterly unconnected to teaching and Mediwizardry and the Ministry, but she felt privileged and took it as seriously as she could. She waited for him to continue, as he obviously had designs on saying something specific to her.  
  
He cleared his throat, "I thought that I might ask you if you had ever considered teaching."  
  
Oh, she could have slapped herself; it was all laid out before her, clear as day. "I'm, uh, honored that you'd even consider me, but I don't think I can accept this. I'm, well, I'm not trained formally and I just don't know if this is what I'm to do with my life at all. I just can't tell yet."  
  
"Oh course, I didn't expect an answer right away. Here's what I'll do: I've arranged for you a place with the Auror's Mediwizardry class through the Ministry. It's over the summer and I highly recommend you take it regardless of your decision on teaching. You can have up to the beginning of the next school year to decide."  
  
"Like I said, Professor, I'm honored, but I really can't see how.Well, Sir I..It's just I'm not that good. You could get someone far superior to me. Someone with experience and firsthand knowledge.I don't posses any of that."  
  
"I know what experience you have and I've seen you handle the situations. Perhaps you aren't a field expert, but more importantly you have a youthfulness and an enthusiasm for the subject that I want to be passed on to the students. One of the problems with the seasoned Mediwizards and witches is that they are deflated and pessimistic from their many years of service. I do not want anyone to hear that our cause is a lost one." She nodded as she understood.  
  
"Don't answer right off, but figure it out yourself later on."  
  
"Does anyone else know?"  
  
"I mentioned to Severus that I might ask you, but he has no idea that you are here today. I won't share that information with him. If you wish to do so, that's up to you. But you might prefer to think this out on your own."  
  
She furled her brows; "I'm very honored, But.." This was not at all how she'd envisioned herself!  
  
He held his hand up to halt her sentence, "Answer me later. It's not such a great honor, it'll be a lot of tricky work and it's a thankless job--but an important job nonetheless. Think about it before you give me your answer--you know where to send the owl."  
Severus' private excitement on returning to the flow of teaching was cut short on his learning of several tasks the Dark Lord had assigned him to look into and take care for him. The Professor had burst in from the rain and lightning one night after midnight ranting about how there were new converts to the Death Eater's cause. It was information like this Georgie wished she wasn't privy to.  
  
He had gone to a planned rendezvous and returned to Georgie who just tried her hardest to keep her eyes open and stifle her yawns as he reasoned with himself and worked out the next course of action. She figured he needed her to be there and to listen to him, more than offer up any suggestions or ask questions, so she merely listened. Finally he stopped pacing before the hearth and running his hands through his lank hair he seemed to notice her there for the first time that evening. She returned his curious gaze as best as she could, prompting him to say something else.  
  
"You really ought to go to sleep."  
  
She smiled, "So should you. Are you hurt?"  
  
"No. I'm fine."  
  
"Then go to sleep." She stifled yet another yawn. Her hair was flat from where she'd been laying on her side on the couch reading her comic books. She knew she looked silly, but she couldn't be bothered to care--it was just Severus and it was too late.  
  
She took up her knapsack and fumbled to her feet, "Well then."  
  
"What? No pithy remarks or sad songs or comments on how I shouldn't look on the down side of things?" His eyes gleamed behind his vacant mask.  
  
"No, I suppose you'd say that it's foolish if I said that. Did you especially want a song or a remark or a challenge?" She eyed him sideways.  
  
He knit his brows, "I wasn't talking about what I wanted."  
  
She let out a low laugh, "So I want to be challenging, is that it?"  
  
He looked her up and down, "Forget I said that. It's not worth it. Off to bed with you." He pointed his thin arm towards her door. He would talk with Albus in the morning; it was much to late to bother the man with news like this at such an improper hour.  
  
"In the case I forget where it is?" She harassed as she breezed past him. "Good night Sugar Lips, Your place is over there." She pointed.  
  
"Shut up Snore Monster, and go to sleep." He rested his arm on the mantle above the fire and turned his eyes from her and his thoughts from her.  
Georgie sat with Siobhan on the coach of the lounge after a glorious Slytherin win on the Quidditch pitch. Severus at first scoffed at the thought of the students 'hanging out' there, but she made sure not to annoy the tall, pale man and he tried his hardest to be civil to her--not more than she deserved of course. He wanted to preserve the professional distance between students and the staff, which Georgie recognized as a reasonable aspiration; though she'd thrown that thought for herself out the window. But still they got on fine and after several weeks he had gotten used to the sight of the other girl at the very least.  
  
Severus was finishing marking papers and was trying not to listen in on the two witches' conversation, but it was hard to ignore.  
  
"So what did Michael say!" Siobhan shrieked. Michael was Georgie's acquaintance from Hogsmeade. She'd met him before Christmas and had met up with him and his girlfriend a few times since then.  
  
"About Jilliann?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"He told me about how they went to some pub and she had to leave early and it turns out she didn't have an upset stomach at all."  
  
"No!?"  
  
"No, she wasn't in her flat when he rung her later on, so she must've gone out. Her roommate said they didn't know where she'd gone off, but she hadn't been long."  
  
"She's cheating on him." Siobhan pronounced and folded her hands in her lap.  
  
Severus looked up, "Are all females as fascinated as you two are with what others say and do, where they go and with whom?" He hadn't said it in a very kind tone at all. But it was ignored. They both nodded defiantly.  
  
"Yup, gossip-mongers." Siobhan informed him. "That's what we're really best at here at school."  
  
"I thought Georgie, eh, fancied him." Severus blinked up blankly.  
  
Georgie smiled and shook her head aggressively. "Everyone fancies him. He's far too rough for my tastes. He's kind, but well, truly a man of few words."  
  
"And I bet he doesn't know what either of them mean!" Siobhan hooted.  
  
"I'll never understand how you can manage to find anything interesting in him to speak of then, if he's such a lost cause." Severus sneered.  
  
"Haven't you ever had a sister or anything?" Siobhan asked carefully.  
  
Severus shook his head still bent over his pile of parchments and smiled to himself.  
  
"Oh, dear. I always worry about people like you." Siobhan shook her head and made eye contact with Georgie so as to give her 'a look' which was understood by the other woman.  
  
"Why?" Severus' greasy head bobbed up.  
  
"Well, of course it doesn't so much pertain to you, Professor Snape." She softened her tone. "It's just, men never know how to live with women. Some are so shocked when they get married to find razors and tights and whatnot in the bath they share. Comes as a great shock. Those who had sisters always fare better than the ones who don't. They're at least knowing what to expect."  
  
"I get on with living with Georgie." He pointed out using his quill for emphasis.  
  
Georgie made a big to-do in clearing her throat. "Um, You don't live with Georgie. You share a lounge with Georgie, which is a big difference from sharing a bath with Georgie...And that come out wrong didn't it?" She paused and grimaced as the two others nodded their heads, soaking up her reaction. "Well, you know what I mean. You haven't seen me shave my legs, so that's what is meant by it all." She gave up.  
  
Severus grunted and went back to his parchments. "I did have a mother. I know--you're shocked to find I wasn't hatched from under a toad or something to that effect. I'm not so thick."  
  
"Not the same thing!" Siobhan whined impatiently. Georgie smiled as she watched the discourse between them. Severus was so taken up in defending himself that he forgot to be rude or condescending to Siobhan. "A mother lives with the father. Sure, flatmates often share a bathroom but they're generally so polite--it's not the same. When people live with one another there's going to be some point where the leg-shaving has an audience and that's what makes the difference. Mark my words if you ever get spliced."  
  
Georgie snorted and Severus replied, "I don't follow you Malone."  
  
"Not that that's the only difference, of course it's just that what is acceptable in front of marrieds isn't in front of flatmates."  
  
"I should think so," Severus sat up stiffly and frowned.  
  
They laughed at him and he turned white in the face, so they checked their laughter at his expense. He was after all their Professor and had the power to make life a hell for either of them and he had the option of failing Siobhan if he felt it was necessary. And as she wasn't a top-notch student as things stood they figured it wouldn't be wise to press the matter. Snape may favor his house, but he was still no where near to being a fair or accommodating Professor.  
  
Severus didn't speak the rest of the evening but Georgie guessed he listened in on them anyway. When Siobhan left after ten, Georgie spoke up directly at Severus, "You know what's in two days?"  
  
"Yes, so?" He frowned.  
  
"I hate it." In two days was St. Valentine's Day.  
  
"So do nothing about it."  
  
"But does everyone make a big thing out of it here?"  
  
"I don't." He informed her.  
  
"So everyone else does? Damn." She really couldn't be bothered to buy or make Valentine's cards or anything like that, but she'd feel awful if she got one and didn't have one to give in returned. It was her least favorite part of the Christmas holiday, and now here it was again rearing its ugly head.  
  
"I don't think I'll make any Valentines." She announced.  
  
Severus was gathering up into a neat pile his parchments; she distinctly heard him 'humph' at her.  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" She demanded.  
  
"It doesn't mean anything."  
  
"Liar. You said you wouldn't lie to me."  
  
"And you said you wouldn't swear either."  
  
"That's different: I said I would resolve to try not to. I try not to and I fail. But I still try."  
  
"Excuse it any way you want."  
  
"Argh, you are in a mood tonight." She teased. "So make Valentines or not? What do you think?"  
  
"I don't care what you do." He got to his feet and walked to his bedchamber to put the papers and quills away. Georgie followed him to the door.  
  
"I value what you think though and since you've been here for so damned long, I figured you'd be able to advise me in the proper protocol. So advise." She followed him with her eyes.  
  
He sighed and continued with what he was doing. "Honestly I don't care what you do. Staff doesn't exchange them as they are a waste of paper and we have enough to do without the added work. But you may receive a few and if that worries you by not having any to give, then make them. Just leave me out of this."  
  
She walked away and called out, "Okily," over her shoulder.  
  
She wasn't thrilled by the prospect but hastily put together a pile of parchments and found a pair of scissors and a bit of string. She bit on the end of her quill. What to write? What to write? She didn't want anything too romantic or luvy, so perhaps something not written by her or with a joke or a funny line.yes.that'd be perfect.  
  
She cut out half a dozen heart-shaped objects from the paper and tacked on the ribbon, coloring the papers with her wand. She figured the twins might give her a Valentine and perhaps a couple of the other Slytherins. She hastily scribbled a few ambiguous lines on the center of them then, satisfied with her work, she cleaned it all up before Severus got a chance to come out and make fun of her.  
Classes came and went and Georgie discovered that St. Valentine's Day was a very exciting time around the castle, at least from her gossipy point of view. She enjoyed watching as students received their Valentines by owl- post or during class hours. It was especially difficult to keep her mind on her lesson during Herbology--which was bad, as this was showing itself to be her worst subject. Whatever Georgie tended to ended up dying, thus proving she wasn't in possession of a green thumb. It wasn't that she didn't study or try, it just always seemed to fail. After not very long she figured she might just be jinxed or destined to fail in that area, so oh well. Though she doubted she could actually fail for things so out of her control as this, but she wasn't sure.  
  
Severus proved to be no great comfort as they chatted idly and finished up their work before heading up to the Great Hall for the meal. He liked her idea that she was jinxed, and proclaimed he didn't think there existed a jinx that made everything you came into contact with to die--at least not yet. But it was a novel idea. "Besides, I'm not dead am I?"  
  
"Not yet." She warned.  
  
He cleared his throat, "Erm, well, I." He began but paused. "I know I said I wouldn't, but I did." He growled, obviously displeased at something. He produced from his side a small envelope.  
  
Georgie hopped off the couch with a small cry and ran off to her room. Severus looked after her muttering, "That's not quite the reaction.." But she burst back into the room before he could finish his monologue.  
  
"For you!" She thrust something into his cool hand.  
  
He rolled his eyes feigning annoyance, "I knew you'd do this, so I figured I'd not let you get the best of me, so here." He held out his envelope to her. She snatched it up and ripped it open, "Aw, that's sweet."  
  
"No it's not!" He replied hotly.  
  
"I 'specially like the bit, 'I think you're a wonderful person, just don't procreate'. What a truly Snape-ish thing to say!" She laughed, "Thank you. Really." She held it to herself. "Now open mine."  
  
She watched his eyes read the text and checked for signs of a reaction. He laughed. "Lovely. Witty use of 'ripping your heart out', top marks. Thank you."  
  
"See that wasn't so painful, was it?" She chided.  
  
"I never said it was."  
  
"But you felt it."  
  
"Merlin woman, what makes you think you can suddenly read minds!"  
  
"I just know." She sung mysteriously.  
  
"Rubbish. Put that away so we can go up."  
  
She did that then joined Severus to walk up to the Great Hall. Georgie sat with Siobhan, which was a rare-enough occurrence. Siobhan had received an anonymous Valentine and they put their heads together over their roast chicken to figure out from whom it came.  
  
"It was signed with five dots," Siobhan showed her the parchment. The girl was very excited and it was such fun as she hadn't the foggiest so this really was to be a secret admirer.  
  
"Five letters in his name? Who would fit that?"  
  
"Snape?" Siobhan giggled.  
  
"Take him, please!" Georgie moaned. She looked down the table, "Goyle? Crabbe?" Georgie didn't know how to spell the latter's name anyhow.  
  
"Both are such feckin' eedjits!" She wailed.  
  
"Shh, they'll hear you."  
  
"Don't care what they hear!"  
  
Georgie looked up from the letter, "Very poetic. Well the person sounds very self-assured. 'You will be mine'? Cocky boy! What ever happened to wine-and-dinning you? Winning you over? Asking you what you wanted?"  
  
"Yeah, I want my bloody knight in shining armor!" She giggled.  
  
"If this was the work of my Marco Polo, he's in serious trouble." Georgie shoveled food into her mouth.  
  
"It sounds like he'd make a move soon though. I'm flattered, but at the same time..who the hell is it?" Siobhan glowed and pounded her fist into the table, making her glass jump. "Maybe Lupin forgot which one he fancied and sent it to me on accident."  
  
"I hardly think he could forget." Georgie replied dryly. "Ask your sister later if she got anything from him, if not--and I doubt she didn't get any from him--then perhaps there was a mix up."  
  
"Pain in the ass being a twin." She pushed out from her seat and snatched up her letter, "I'm going to go blow something up in the corridors downstairs."  
  
"Have a lovely time." Georgie called after her and sipped her juice.  
Georgie was doing Snape's rounds that night--she'd actually wanted to get out and stretch her legs a bit. Why was it she never heard or saw anything, yet Severus always managed to find someone? She climbed yet another staircase trying to get herself lost so she could walk even more. With each step she huffed, "Chubby Georgie." Perhaps as a sort of motivation..  
  
She paused at the top to lean far out over the railing to the bottom, which was several stories below. Turning her back on the dizzying height she ducked around a corner lithely that was nearly all black, but she couldn't be bothered to light her way.  
  
Funny, she'd never been down here before. Not too big of a surprise-- Hogwarts was full of these changing passages and rooms and stairs.  
  
What was a surprise however were the hushed whispers of voices coming from a closed door halfway down. Georgie padded to stand behind it silently and leaned in and was able to recognize a snarling deep male voice bullying the other speaker. She didn't recognize the other voice inside and she had to strain enough just to make out every few words. "Recognized that we as his followers are to..those bastards the Creevys..Mysteries work on are impossible."  
  
Georgie's ears pricked up at the word potion, but there was nothing about Snape or anything else she'd recognized. She knew no one by the name of Creevy so it didn't really matter. She came to the sudden realization that she had no business listening in on the conversation. She straightened herself up, hearing something about a date next month.  
  
She had taken several steps in retreat down the corridor when she stopped herself. Wait! They're out of bed; it was her duty to tell them to push off. She stalked over to the door and lifted her hand to open it wide when there was a loud blast, the sound of splintering wood and Georgie was thrown back and she remembered nothing more.  
A/N-sometimes I just want to see how far I can go with the characters. Anyone out there get upset if I killed off all the characters??!! Kidding. 


	21. Chapter TwentyOne Lost

Chapter Twenty-One Lost  
  
Author's note: Hello again, I'm here. Hmm, about the spacing, I'm not sure how to fix these stuffs. But I'll try. Some characters I type or styles don't translate well to FF.net Best I can do until I figure it out. OR someone lets me know how to (I'll try Mirei !). I'm happy people still read and review. Happy happy happy . Even not wonderful reviews, because at least I know people read it. And yes, I am Polynesian, so it's the closest of the Mary-sue thing you asked Eliza, but I'm too boring in life, so I can live through Georgie. BTW it takes me a looong time to edit things-I like doing it myself-but it does. I had maybe 15 chapters typed before I even started to post, so now it takes longer. Hmm, no romance, yea. Maybe at some point, but not for a long time, maybe in like story # 3, years from now If I'm not bored yet, but I don't write in that style. More fun to be friends with these two. Okay, now everyone go out and put in a Smiths CD and have fun.  
  
Severus was known for his bad moods and inflicting his barbs on everyone who came into contact with him on these days, but many of the staff had forgotten this habit as they became fewer and fewer in number and occurrence.  
  
Breakfast was strained at best and Minerva McGonagall wondered why. She worked it out so that she'd be waiting for him just outside of the doors afterwards to question him about it. She didn't know why she still bothered with that man..  
  
She snagged Severus' sleeve and urged him to follow her to her office for a few moments of his time. He couldn't argue with good reason as he had quite a bit of time before his lesson, and she had a window, but argue he did anyway.  
  
He plopped himself down in his chair and waited for her to begin, a look of amused contempt on his face.  
  
"Oh, stop that Severus. You don't intimidate me anymore--never really had, you were always just a spoilt little boy. Now, suppose you tell me what's on your mind. You never were very good at hiding your irritations." He ignored her ridiculous assumptions that she could possibly understand him, and decided to indulge the woman just a little. It would be pointless to waste breath and time in arguing something that didn't concern him in the least.  
  
"Georgie didn't show up last night. Went off and never returned."  
  
Minerva frowned, "And you're sure of this? That's not allowed of Hogwarts students."  
  
"She's got privileges, she can go where she chooses." He shrugged. "She last did rounds for me."  
  
"Well, last night was Valentine's day, was it not.perhaps a boy she fancied." She tactfully stopped.  
  
"Oh please," he spat. "Georgie hasn't a chance in hell at finding a boy like that--she's not fool enough. More than likely she's hung-over or run- away or done something equally as foolish."  
  
"That's a very cold attitude." Minerva reprimanded. "She's not in her chamber?"  
  
"I knocked, but there was no answer. It's not appropriate for me to go further than that without consent." Minerva nodded.  
  
"Well, You have classes first off, but with your permission, I'll go and see if she's down there and try and talk with her. I doubt she's run-away or hung-over-the holiday's over, so stop being such a sulk." She looked down her nose at him.  
  
He rose and drifted away without a second look towards the woman, his robes billowing out behind him like an angry black wake.  
  
Minerva pushed open the door to Georgie's bedroom and looked in. It was hard to tell if Georgie had slept in her bed, as she surmised it was never made anyway. Her giant turtle was sleeping in a corner beneath a glowing foreign-looking lamp. Turning around, Minerva knew Georgie wasn't there so there wasn't any reason to dwell there any longer. She shut the door and carried herself out of Slytherin quarters. She would never understand how anyone could stand to live down there, Severus and foul-tempers aside. It was so cold and dismal; she shook herself to rid the feeling of damp and numbness from herself.  
  
Minerva returned to her office and made herself up a cup of tea to chase away the chill and sat at her desk, not even glancing over The Daily Prophet opened in front of her. Severus was a fool to suggest Georgie had run-away or done something that foolish. No, if Georgie were gone she'd have gone for some other reason. It nettled her that Severus never considered that she might be in danger or injured. That had been the first thing in her mind, but then on second thought, perhaps Severus just couldn't own that he thought that way.  
  
She sipped the scalding tea and set it down distastefully to let it cool. She couldn't bring this to Dumbledore--just not yet. If Georgie had done something foolhardy, Minerva hoped to shield the girl as long as she could. Bringing speculation about her when she only happened to be in the bath or out for a walk wouldn't help anything, Georgie would show up sooner or later.  
  
The lunch meal came and Severus cornered Minerva as she made her way up to the table and to her regular place. He tried to look disinterested, but Minerva wasn't fooled. Still she played along. "Snape, she wasn't in her room nor anywhere else I could find. I truly thought she'd have turned up by now."  
  
"I'm advising Albus of this." Minerva nodded at his words.  
  
"That's probably a wise decision. He might have some insight we don't. She'll turn up though, she can handle herself." Minerva smiled and patted him on the arm before continuing on. As if he cared. Severus stayed glued to where he stood and watched as Minerva leaned in and spoke to Headmaster Dumbledore, and Albus' eyes turned with an unreadable look upon Severus. Severus wrenched himself around and continued up to his regular seat, he needed to eat didn't he?  
  
He was glaring out over his glass at the sea of animated students in the room when he felt a tap at his back. Albus stood over him, "Georgie has not informed me of her plans, and as her things remain here it's most likely she's to return soon. Odd that she left no word, but it's not required. If she doesn't turn up by the end of your last lesson today I'll have Hagrid check the grounds and Filch the school." He gave an artificial smile and walked away.  
  
He turned back to his food, yes, when last he saw her she was pleasant so she wouldn't do anything desperate. He tried to subscribe to everyone's hope that she would just turn up, but it didn't sound like her to be so secretive. And it wasn't like him to hold out hope.  
  
Severus asked Siobhan and Niamh to stay behind after the class he'd just concluded with them. They hadn't any idea where she was and Siobhan was bold enough to question him on why he'd ask them when she lived by him. Severus wasn't in the mood, and he dismissed them curtly, parroting Minerva and Dumbledore in saying she'd turn up, so not to worry.  
  
Severus slammed the door to the castle open with more force then he realized he'd put into it. He'd been with Hagrid in searching the grounds all the way to Hogsmeade, but Severus didn't care to wait around when Hagrid grimly announced all that there was left to search was the lake.  
  
He excused himself and went in search of Filch. Severus detested Filch in every way, except that the man was the most blindly loyal and dutiful creature to walk the earth. People with that disposition were dangerous. Characteristics that Snape couldn't stand.  
  
Severus came upon the man and the blasted cat of his just outside of the Library doors, eyeing students as they entered and exited and skirted about with their after-school twittering. Severus kept a low voice, "Found anything yet?"  
  
"No sir," Filch wheezed. "She's not in the main part of the castle. She must've gotten off to a hardly used classroom or corridor if she's here." Or she's not on school grounds at all, Severus didn't add.  
  
"Well, Hagrid will join us soon enough." Severus informed bitterly. "The sun's going down and he's almost conducted a thorough search outside."  
  
Filch nodded. "I figured I'd start from the third floor and go on up from there. Are you coming along sir?"  
  
Severus nodded and followed the man. "What do we do when something like this happens?"  
  
Filch looked at him like he was mad, "It's never happened before. Mrs. Norris and I have usually found them out within an hour or so. Headmaster Dumbledore has a few suggestions if worse comes to worse, but so far his attempts at locating her with magic've failed." Severus could guess what Albus had attempted already.  
  
And she accuses him of thinking negatively? How could one not?  
  
Dinner came and went but several members of the staff were unmistakably missing from the head table, though only two students really thought that anything important might be going on.  
  
Remus and Severus lifted magical torches to peer into a deserted passageway behind a wall in the library. They'd made sure all students were out of sight and earshot before slipping through the narrow opening.  
  
"How is it I've never had the privilege of coming here before?" His dark eyes darted up at the roughly hewn walls and underfoot.  
  
Severus wasn't up to Remus' attempts to be lighthearted; he would appreciate it better after all was settled, but not now.  
  
"It's nearly ten and we've been looking since this afternoon." Severus pointed out direly.  
  
"It is possible, she's off the grounds: either of her own accord or."  
  
"Yes, dragged off."  
  
"What do you think?" Remus followed the man down and around a corner.  
  
"I think Georgie is capable of getting into trouble."  
  
"You think that's what has happened here?"  
  
"No. I don't. There's no reason for it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know why." He shrugged in the darkness. "Intuition. Experience. Knowledge of human nature. Perhaps, it's wishful thinking." There was an edge of question in his voice.  
  
Remus was taken aback: that was maybe one of the most unguarded personal statements Severus had ever admitted to within his hearing. "I hope so." Remus said, not daring to bring up the question of why or how she got to wherever she was..  
  
By midnight the handful of staff were gathered in Dumbledore's office drinking tea and in some cases strong coffees. Dumbledore cleared his throat; "At this point I am inclined to think there has been foul play. We should put our heads together and figure out whom might have a reason for doing this or any gains. Also we'll need to discuss security if this was directed by an outside party." He looked at Severus. "I'm going to contact her parents and at least let them know that she's been missing for a full day now."  
  
Severus shook his head and stared down his hooked nose at the headmaster, "No, I don't think we should be so hasty. She would have reasons against inciting undue worry for them."  
  
Dumbledore, to Severus' great relief, paused then settled. "Yes, I see no reason why we couldn't postpone that task until tomorrow."  
  
Minerva piped up, "If it were an outside party's doing, then wouldn't we have heard something from them by this time? Some demands, or gloating or a note?"  
  
Remus answered, "That's assuming that they think as we do."  
  
"Quite right. Some violence is just done for violence's sake." Severus spoke slowly and deliberately, as if it took effort. "No, we have to figure out first of all whether she's here or not. What methods could we test?"  
  
Minerva jumped in, "Flitwick, Albus and I have all performed the positioning spell and locators, but nothing came of it--we saw nothing of her. Strange, but not all that uncommon. That almost would suggest that she's in the castle as there was the possible magical interference."  
  
"Or that she's out of the castle and under much magical protection by way of hiding charms." Severus spat basely.  
  
Minerva shot him a stern look, but continued, "Whichever it may be, I suggest we continue on through this castle before we tackle the much larger world, where we'll have no clue as to where to begin."  
  
It was generally agreed upon and all resolved to stay as quiet as possible so as not to excite the student population. Dumbledore said he would make a vague and general announcement about exercising caution and not going off on one's own. He then gently suggested that the staff try and get some sleep, as there wasn't much more they could do now. It was too dark to look outside and Filch would systematically check out every place he knew of. Dumbledore realized that Severus and Remus wouldn't heed any of his suggestion, but he would have been much disappointed if they had.  
  
As everyone left the room somberly, Dumbledore grabbed Minerva and held her back a little apart from the others, but not so that anyone else would have noticed. "How's Severus?"  
  
"Not taking this very well. This is horrible--things always end up so like this for him. If this ends in tragedy like last time..he might really be lost then."  
  
"I have every hope that we will find her." Dumbledore assured her. "His early friendship with Lily was a different sort of relationship--an illusion almost, one he unfortunately ended up jeopardizing."  
  
Minerva frowned deeply. "Still, If everyone I cared for was always being taken from me, of course I'd sink down as he has done. I worry that this might be too much for him."  
  
"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Try and get some sleep. We must continue on as if normal." She nodded and held her head up as she passed out of his office.  
  
Morning came and Georgie still hadn't come. Severus sat in the kitchens with a sleepy house-elf as the sun-rose. He felt ill--perhaps it was the lack of sleep. He drank some of the strong coffee Georgie used to prefer and nearly gagged. Still he drank the acid stuff. He got to his feet and walked to the passageway that would lead him to the Slytherin entranceway.  
  
A hot shower would do him a world of good and maybe give some clarity to his mind. The steam rose and he hardly noticed as time passed and he stood there in the scalding spray. What they needed was some other way of pinpointing her location. Perhaps at noon he'd get off Hogwarts grounds and attempt the positioning and pointer spells, maybe then the interference wouldn't matter so. But if that didn't work, he was at a loss if that were to happen.  
  
Hermione Granger had the gall to ask him if he were sick; he had snarled and perhaps shouted at her, but had forgotten to take points away. Yes, the class perceived that the Professors--all of them--were a bit out of sorts. Many wondered the reason, but as there wasn't any news in the Prophet and only the unspecific comment on safety-in-numbers from the headmaster, nothing was changed that they could discern.  
  
Severus strode on, the staff were spending another tiring night of searching the castle over--Remus even suggesting that he take a look down in the Chamber of Secrets for good measure. Severus was on the fifth floor once more, going over the empty classrooms and cabinets there for anything. Filch had announced at a staff meeting that every room he could come across was searched. But this wasn't very conclusive as the castle was always changing and moving and blocking off certain areas.  
  
Severus reported that his positioning and pointing attempts off of grounds were indeterminate: either there was still too much interference, she was covered by spells, or she was at the castle. Not very conclusive at all. Filch continued by remarking that it was possible she was in something--a wardrobe, a broom closet, behind something, under something--anything at all. No one dared asked how she could've gotten into a place like that. Severus ground his teeth when Trewlaney suggested that perhaps she was hiding for fun. Stupid fool.  
  
Not much later the lanky Potions Professor was pressing on to the next classroom, going through dusty trunks and magically expanding wardrobes big enough for a grown man to step through. So far he'd only found dusty old parchments, several broken desks and some burned-out bookcases.  
  
He hadn't allowed himself to talk with anyone for long, or to let his mind wander or analyze much. He preferred action to empty words, and so long as he kept busy, he felt she had a chance. Ridiculous thoughts, but what of them? If she were off of grounds she was most likely dead by now, so he hoped against hope that she was found at Hogwarts. He really wasn't up to inquiring among Death Eater circles for word of the witch; that would almost certainly yield unhappy news and draw unnecessary attention to himself.  
  
He entered the next set of rooms, Oh Merlin; these were the storerooms. Every floor had a few of them. Hundreds of trunks and crates and boxes and whatnot were inside this room: impossible. He ran the length of it, listening for sounds or signs of anything amiss, but had to drag himself out of the room and on to the next. He felt time was running out.  
  
In the corridor, he whirled around as he heard the sounds of light footsteps coming his way, he squinted through the darkness to see a girl coming at him.could it.No, it was Siobhan or Niamh.  
  
"Professor!" It called out while it was still a long way off.  
  
"What do you want?" He snarled. "As you can probably guess I'm very busy right now and I can't be bothered with your foolish running around out of bed."  
  
"It's just," the girl colored, "Well, Niamh and I had an idea on how to find her. Well, if she's in Hogsmeade or Hogwarts at least."  
  
He would humor her, but this was a waste of his time. "Alright, how? And make it fast."  
  
"Send her an owl."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"An owl, send a letter to her, or a dozen. See, stealth owls could find her wherever she is right? You know how owls have their own special sort of intuition and magic--especially the stealth owls and the Ministry owls." Severus' mind was reeling. it might work! "So if we put a Professor on each floor or down each corridor then send an owl, someone's bound to see it and narrow down the floor. Then send all the professors up to that floor--"  
  
"I'm seeing what you mean, all the professors on that floor, then narrow it down to the room, follow the birds inside the room, find her." He stared glass-eyed over her head, as if imagining. It wouldn't work if she were down a magically hidden corridor, but it was still something to do.action.  
  
"Miss Malone, you're an asset to Slytherin. Go back to the Common Room and tell no one, I'll give you points in the morning for such clear thinking." He pushed her off in the direction she needed to go.  
  
Severus however took off in the direction he needed to go in at almost a run.  
  
An hour later Dumbledore stood in the Great Hall with a half dozen owls with scraps of paper addressed to George Flaing, Hogwarts, ready to be attached to their claws. The Professors and staff were all being utilized around the gigantic castle to stand and watch for the birds to fly in their directions. Doors had been flung open down nearly all the corridors allowing for easier passage of the birds, though it was quite unlikely anyone could keep up with a flying owl enough to determine the floor and the corridor and the room. Hence the many owls for the many attempts.  
  
Dumbledore was to release one every five minutes or so, allowing the staff time to move around and readjust themselves. "Off you go," the snowy- haired man spoke to the first owl. "Find her."  
  
He watched it circle and soar up higher and higher: either the owl was confused on how to exit the building or she was inside of it. A few minutes later he heard shouts and hoped that meant this was working.  
  
Flitwick tried to lean over the banister to shout down that the owl had flow down to his floor, but he couldn't see over it no matter how he strained and stretched. So he raised his wand and sent a spray of sparks into the air a few feet above his head that whistled and crackled like a firecracker. Within seconds feet were bounding down the stairs and voices calling and shouting at one another. Madam Pince and Professor Trewlaney came running from the floor below and Remus swung across on a shifting staircase. Severus and Hagrid seemed to appear from thin air and they both boomed directions for half to go down the corridors on the right hand side, the other half was to go down the left ones.  
  
They had barely done so when a flapping noise was heard and everyone waited in silence to see if it would come closer to them. After the fourth or fifth owl, ten people were now gathered around the open door to a room eager to step inside. The owls seemed a bit confused and were flying in circles around the ceiling of the room, which turned to be one of the numerous storerooms. In fact one of the larger ones.  
  
Minerva stepped inside, "I knew we should have cleaned these out years ago." She whispered.  
  
Severus stood in the center of the room "The owls can't help us anymore. We'll just have to go through everything in here."  
  
Professor Sprout spoke up, "But there's only trunks and boxes and crates in here." Everyone was silent.  
  
Minerva straightened her robes, "Well let's get started." She approached the first stack of trunks stacked eight high and taller than her head. She muttered a spell to lower the top one to the ground so she could go through it.  
  
Professor Sprout kicked her way to the farthest corner in the room, brushing aside boxes and bins and loose books and parchments. The owl's had stopped circulating and landed beside her to watch her pick through the piles of junk and broken equipment. It didn't settle her nerves any though..  
  
The others spread themselves around and did the same. The only sound was of doors and lids creaking, spells being muttered and locks being popped. No one dared to speak, and the silence was thick and heavy.  
  
After not very long, Madam Pomfrey gasped and cried, "Oh my god!" Everyone stopped what they were doing and rushed to her side, looking over shoulders. What they were looking at was a trunk taken from the middle of a stack popped open to reveal a figure, twisted and stuffed into the box. They stood and stared down at the waxy and white-faced Georgie, her eyes closed and her body cold. Cries arose and Minerva and Sprout grabbed for each other' hands for support.  
  
Severus pushed through and everyone stood back, even he couldn't believe his eyes. He reached down under her limp arms and waist and lifted her out of the trunk--such a small trunk! She lay across his black knee like a limp rag doll, her head rolled back and her arms fell away from her side. There were dried brown bloodstains on her head, on her arms and around her eyes and mouth.  
  
Minerva ventured forward, tears in her eyes, "Is she.?"  
  
"She's been in a box for nearly two days, nearly deprived of oxygen--it'd be a miracle." Severus grimaced. Madame Pomfrey took her wrist in her hand and felt for a second, then moved up to her throat. "Damn." Everyone seemed to take that for an answer and let out the breath they were holding and the tears began, though Madame Pomfrey was far from giving up.  
  
"Wait!" Snape bellowed, planting his own finger on her throat. "Wait! I think she's alive!" Madame Pomfrey replanted her finger and assented her concurrence. He breathed heavily, Remus standing behind him and grasping his shoulder. He felt like he was underwater, it was all so surreal.  
  
Madam Pomfrey noted, "Merlin's sake, we have to get her to a Hospital. I can't help her here."  
  
Remus supported Severus as he lifted the cold figure into his arms and got to his feet.  
  
Trewlaney frowned, "I'll dash to Dumbledore and get him to make a portkey for St. Mungo's." She didn't wait for anyone to reply but took off jingling at a literal run.  
  
Minerva and Sprout walked behind Remus and Severus crying lightly to themselves, Pomfrey joined them, "She's been there for two days. I hate to think."  
  
"Don't think about it. She's out and fine now." Flitwick squeaked from behind them, causing them all to turn.  
  
"No, she's not," Pomfrey assessed. "She's not out of danger yet, and we haven't seen if there's to be any permanent damage."  
  
Remus nodded back at them grimly, then turned to Georgie next to him, and attempted to clean away some of the blood from her face, so she didn't look so bad. He replaced her dangling arm in her lap gently and noticed something strange stuck to her back just under her neck. Remus as covertly as possible lifted it from her shirt and unfolded it. He looked at for a moment, then catching Severus eye held it out in front of the taller man, so only he could see it.  
  
"On her?" Severus whispered.  
  
"Yes," Remus sighed. "Let's not say anything about it now." Remus folded and slipped the note with the scrawl of a snake coming out of a skull's mouth into a pocket in his robe.  
  
The last of the procession came down the last of the stairs; it seemed like it was taking an eternity. Dumbledore approached them, "So she is alive?" He asked, looking very weary.  
  
"For now." Severus lifted her in his arms not even bothering with checking his voice or expression.  
  
"I've sent an owl to St. Mungo's, but I'm afraid I can't lift the spells quickly enough guarding against the portkeys on grounds or apparation: after all that happened last year." He looked at the group, "He can portkey with her from Hogsmeade if someone would set it up." Remus cleared his throat and volunteered, taking leave immediately at a run.  
  
Severus walked to the door. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Albus left the other staff behind as he stepped forward to hold the door for him.  
  
"I understand. Now, just get her there." And Severus started out and down the hill.  
  
Albus turned to the group, half of whom were crying. "First I must say that the cooperation shown tonight was like none I've ever seen. You are all to be most warmly commended. Secondly, however, I'm afraid that finding her wasn't the end of our troubles. If we could all convene for a few more minutes we should begin to discuss what has happened here and how to make sure this never happens again." He led the way out of the entrance hall.  
  
Severus shifted her once again, she wasn't that heavy, a little heavy yes, but not much, he forced his mind to dwell on neutral subjects. She was just awkward, her arms and legs all flayed out in all directions--dead weight. She looked dead too, awful as that sounded to himself inside of his mind. She was so cold, several times he'd felt her arms and neck and face but each time she felt like ice. He gathered her up and held her closer. He knew how she hated to be cold.  
  
He walked stiffly and determinedly, so as not to fall on the slick grass in the dark. He marched until he reached the gates of Hogwarts and saw Remus pacing just off the grounds. Heading directly for the man, Remus set something quite large on the ground in front of himself and waved his wand quickly about. Severus reached him at that moment, and Remus explained that the bicycle frame he had found was now a portkey to St. Mungo's, to which Severus nodded darkly in understanding.  
  
Remus called out as he backed away, "I'm sorry Severus."  
  
Severus looked at the man, "Be sorry for her." He looked at her a split second before touching the rusted metal and disappeared from sight.  
  
Dumbledore passed a steaming cup across the table to Minerva who thanked him for it cheerfully. The woman at the window watching the snows and frost melt away and run off, joined the group seated around the central table. "Is Snape there today again?" Pomfrey asked as she sat herself down.  
  
Remus Lupin smiled wearily, "Yes, he's gone there every single weekend and waited for her to come around. He's beating himself up over it." St. Mungo's had bandaged her, set her bones and got her body to behave normally- -all except for waking up.  
  
"Going to run himself ragged if you ask me. Comas can last days or years, he can't just wait for forever." Madam Pomfrey sniffed.  
  
Remus knitted his brows, "He's gong to find out who did it." He said with meaning and a hint of warning as well.  
  
Dumbledore shook his head, "So long as he continues with his duties--all of his duties, which he has been--he can track down whomever he feels like tracking." Minerva looked at Dumbledore stealthily and frowned. "As long as he doesn't make this a sort of renegade, personal vendetta." Severus had returned from a Death Eaters meeting last week that had been raided by Aurors, foolish Aurors they turned out to be, who despite warnings, were heavily outnumbered. Snape had escaped scraped up a bit and so had most of the Aurors, but there were casualties on both sides. He walked with a noticeable limp for a three full days, before Pomfrey forced him to lie down so she could take care of a gash in his leg.  
  
Professor Morgan, an elderly and hard-of-hearing witch who had taken over Professor Vector's vacant post spoke, "I think his devotion to his friend is admirable."  
  
Everyone just smiled politely and wondered if Severus Snape was going mad and when would Georgie wake up.  
  
Severus Snape sat on the edge of the cot the St. Mungo's staff always set up on weekends next to Miss George Flaing's bed. That was when the contemptible and despondent man would show up and wait. It was all rather pathetic and the staff felt very sorry for him, even more so as the weeks dragged on. It was always hard to watch those who just wouldn't give up.  
  
Most days and the rare night he just lay there silently, going over in his mind how this could've happened, and more importantly who could have done it. His quest for information hit a wall when it came to inquiring among his fellow Death Eaters, and Remus suggested someone in the school might've done it. Severus knew several that were capable, but why would they? To hurt another Slytherin? They'd need a very good reason for that one. Only the young Malfoy had the influence to make others do it and only young Nott had the lunacy to try and pull it off on his own. Snape couldn't very well inquire about it among the Death Eaters either.  
  
Severus blamed himself, though he couldn't quite figure out why, only that he should. He felt guilty. In the past he could always come up with some reason to turn it all around to make it his fault. If Hogwarts wasn't safe, then where was safe enough? What was the point to teaching her these many weeks defense and strategies and Dark Arts when she probably never even got a shot off?  
  
She was, in a way, his responsibility. She looked out for him, so he had somehow failed in doing the same for her. He had allowed this to happen-- he had ignored the obvious signs. Severus ignored nagging thoughts trying to surface, thoughts that screamed at him that he'd felt the same things, thought the same thoughts.. Sometime before.But for someone else. But now wasn't the time to dwell on what happened back then, the horrible things that happened then and their outcomes. He had allowed too much then as well.  
  
Also at the back of his mind he also recognized the possibility that she might never wake up, or if she did, what kind of life would she live? And if she died..he didn't know what he'd do. Lock himself in his dungeons and never see the light of day again, that sounded so familiar to him. 


	22. Chapter Twenty Two Morning

Chapter Twenty Two -- Morning  
  
Remus Lupin escorted Sirius Black down the dim corridors with their nauseating mint green walls. Sirius was fidgety-he felt out of his element in hospitals. But Sirius would rather be hung than admit that to anyone- especially to Snape, so here he found himself on this self-appointed-- though Dumbledore hoodwinked--mission to try and console Snape.  
  
Lupin knocked on the door to Georgie's room and ushered Sirius inside quickly. Snape was staring at them as they entered in and he didn't seem all that pleased to be seeing them. Lupin mustered his courage as he crossed the room to the man. At least Georgie would appreciate it even if her morose friend did not. Besides, Lupin acknowledged, he wasn't the only one hurt by all this, and it was selfish of him to act as if he were.  
  
"Snape." Lupin nodded.  
  
Severus rose to his feet and through his tightly clenched lips he hissed, "Lupin. Black." He nodded at each of them but his face was a mixture of discomfort and severe distaste for the both of them. He retreated to the far side of the room and stood with his back against the wall, seeming to drag the shadows along with him.  
  
Sirius remained glued just inside the door and couldn't force his feet to cross the floor any nearer to the bed or the other two gentlemen.  
  
Lupin ventured after looking down at the still form tucked into a bed. "She looks much better, Severus, the color's returning to her."  
  
Snape recognized the effort and agreed. He was less accommodating with Black. He just couldn't help it, blast the man. Old habits die hard.  
  
"Nice trousers." Severus growled at the man. Remus saw this as the barb Snape had intended it to be, but Black clearly didn't. He ran his hand down to straighten his untucked shirt. Lupin was used to Black's 'style' and had only frowned for a second when he saw that Sirius had chosen his leather pants and a gaudy button-down shirt to visit their friend in the hospital. Remus felt it wasn't his place to say anything as his own robes were still a bit on the ragged-side. But leave it to Severus to say what he felt.  
  
Sirius became animated. "Yeah I like these heaps, people have stopped me out in the street to ask me where I got them. But I'll never tell-my little secret. An' not just Wizards-Muggles have recognized my style as well."  
  
Lupin concentrated very hard on the floor tiles. Whyever did we come here?  
  
Severus was in full swing of loathing this man once again. Even insofar as to second-guess this newfound acceptance of one another. How could I? This man is everything I hate in anyone....He set his jaw and stared daggers into the man, hoping to pierce his heart. "It must be very difficult to maintain your low-profile status when you're forever being hounded to give the name of your tailor."  
  
Sirius grinned obliviously, "Yes well, I cannot help but stay true to myself, even in these desperate times," He shrugged as if to excuse himself. Severus shot up the closest thing to a prayer he'd ever said in asking that this man be blown to bits in his 'leather pants.'  
  
"Of course that is what is truly important. Staying true to one's self as you say." Snape spat.  
  
Remus bolted across to stand nearer to Sirius, not out of fear of harm from Severus but in an attempt to maybe curtail Sirius from whatever dribble he might take a crack at passing off as consolation. Granted Severus wasn't much of a cooperative partner either, but the man could hardly be blamed.  
  
Black walked around to the far side of her bed and bent down to closely scrutinize her outward injuries. "I was talking with a bloke I met the other night-met him in a Muggle pub. And I was chatting away about this friend I knew, all vague and all that, and he said that oftentimes it's best if cases like this just don't wake up. Says he, the strain of coping with the realities and nastiness of the injuries pushes people over the edge. More often than not they end up killing themselves later on. Throwing themselves before a bus or something." Looking up to Remus more than to Snape, he mumbled, "I'd watch her if I were you. It'd be a nasty business to have her slit her wrists at Hogwarts, you know."  
  
Black called back to Snape, "I'd tell you to keep a watchful eye on her if she decides to take any long baths, but I dare say with you two as thick as thieves as you've been, there's no need for me to be giving you any pointers in that direction. Seems you've been doing something right down in those dungeons of yours."  
  
Sirius ran on before Remus could interject. "She looks like hell, though that's hardly to be expected that she'd appear otherwise now wouldn't it? Now if she's been looking about to get plastic surgery done, now would be the opportune time for it, as the Muggles would say." He chuckled at his own musings. "I mean I hardly would have recognized her if it weren't for the name written outside the door just over there."  
  
Sirius ran his hand through his shining and smartly groomed hair, "You know, I was thinking: what would Georgie say if she were here to see us all? And then it struck me: she'd most likely take out that guitar of hers and sing some witty song about it. Or else stuff herself silly in between fits of laughter." Snape glared at the man, but was too amazed to conjure up anything worthwhile t the moment. It would all be wasted on this dismal excuse for a man.  
  
"And then, now this is a stroke of genius, she's sing one of her favorite songs that would be of so fitting for Severus right now-especially seeing as how it's such a surprise to see me of all people here." Severus stiffened at his being alluded to. Remus could all but gawk as Sirius began to sing.  
  
Girlfriend's in a Coma, I know, I know its Serious.  
  
Girlfriend's in a Coma, I know, I know its Serious-  
  
Sirius' song-and-dance routine was interrupted by a fist curtly slamming into his jaw.  
  
Severus crossed his arms across his chest, obviously pleased at the progression of this visit. He had to give that little werewolf credit: he never thought he had it in him.  
  
Remus set his own jaw and puffed up his chest as he cradled his fist in his other hand. "That is just about enough of that. I think we've done enough cheering up for one day."  
  
He stayed awake all weekend long, every weekend, lying there in the dark of the night listening to her breathe, and in truth making sure she didn't cease breathing. He was exhausted every Sunday night when he returned to Hogwarts, but it was a good sort of exhaustion he reasoned. He'd much rather feel spent and know that he had been there, listening...  
  
One evening he lay in the dark memorizing the ceiling and going over events from his past in his mind. He felt numb and achy, as if he weren't inside of himself, but floating somewhere beyond. "Trewlaney would have a fit if she heard me acknowledge that." He scoffed as he usually didn't allow himself the luxury of speech.  
  
"What was that?" A hoarse voice coughed hard next to him. "Am I dead?"  
  
He sat up gingerly and slowly asked skeptically, "I'm dreaming."  
  
"Only if you dream of my c-coughing." She rasped. Severus sat up at her right hand, and trying to make out features in the darkness. Her eyes were closed, but she was there, coughing and wheezing. "Where am I?"  
  
"St. Mungo's Hospital."  
  
She opened her eyes. "Doesn't look like a hospital," Her voice still hoarse from disuse.  
  
He smirked, "Well it is one."  
  
"Who am I?" She opened her eyes.  
  
He started and starred, "You really don't know?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You are a student at Hogwarts School," He left off the bit about witches and wizards in case it would shock her. "Your name is George Flaing. You really don't remember any of this? You're 21 years old, grew up in Poland."  
  
"Who're you? My father or my boyfriend?" She croaked.  
  
Severus' lower lip quivered with the intake of his breath, but he spoke solidly, "Neither. You're my friend. You really don't remember any of this? Who you are or where you've been?"  
  
"Nah, I was just playing. You're Severus and I'm Minerva." She laughed at the look on his face, before breaking off into coughs.  
  
"Maybe you shouldn't talk." He smiled genuinely down at her.  
  
"Just what you've always longed to happen to me, eh?" She rasped.  
  
"No, not really."  
  
"Groovy." She looked around. "Honestly though, why am I here?"  
  
"You were attacked."  
  
"By whom?"  
  
"I was hoping you'd tell me just that."  
  
She closed her eyes and shivered visibly, "I remember."  
  
"It was terrible?"  
  
"It was terrible." She repeated quietly.  
  
He sat in silence with her for a few minutes, before asking, "Would you like a drink of water?"  
  
"Yes actually I would, thanks." She opened her eyes and smiled. "I have to get out of here, I've got to get back to classes so I can make up my work."  
  
She didn't see Severus in the corner frown to himself as he poured water into a cup. "You'll be in here for at least another week. And that will probably start once I leave you to tell the Mediwizard on duty you're al- awake." He stopped himself from saying alive.  
  
"Damn, that sucks." She shook her head lightly, and winced, grabbing the side of her head. Then wincing in pain at the movement of her broken wrist and arm.  
  
"I thought you'd swear a lot more than that on hearing that." He placed the cup into her other slightly less broken hand.  
  
"Hey, I'm trying to quit." She replied huskily. "'Sides, 'Damn' isn't swearing."  
  
"Well, look on the bright side: you haven't sworn in a month." She smiled at that, then slowly the smile dissolved off of her face as the realization of the word sunk in. "A month?"  
  
He nodded solemnly. "Sorry."  
  
She pouted, "I'm sorry I missed your birthday. I had this whole thing planned out--it was going to be such fun!" She sounded like a disappointed child.  
  
He sat down again, "Well, I did spend my birthday here with you--in a way." He smiled. "Not that I give one whit about birthdays anyhow."  
  
"Why are you being so agreeable?" She asked before she could think twice about it and stop herself.  
  
"Because you almost died--and would've died. You looked dead. Bloodied and bruised and shoved away to where no one could find you. That's not how I like to see my friends. So now you're alive again and I feel very.." He stopped there, as if saying too much.  
  
"Happy?"  
  
He bit on his lip, like she had so many times before. "Something like that. Relieved."  
  
"I'm happy." She agreed with him. And smiled, closing her eyes lightly.  
  
He got to his feet, and stood there an uncomfortable moment. "Do you want help with that cup?" He pointed at the half-sized thing in her hand.  
  
Georgie opened her eyes and nodded, "My hand hurt too much--My muscles feel like mush. I didn't feel like moving it."  
  
"You should ask for help."  
  
"I'm not asking for help. Not used to it."  
  
"Well, you're going to need help for the next few weeks." He helped her sit up and helped her drink the water.  
  
She sat back down. "I don't like feeling helpless." Severus shrugged.  
  
"Will you be alright if I go down the corridor to the station and inform the person on duty and send an owl to Dumbledore?"  
  
"Okily, just come back."  
  
He turned and swept out of the room.  
  
When he returned a few minutes later he was greeted with "Where's my wand?"  
  
He walked around the room, "It was found on you, I know that much." He opened a very old and worn wardrobe and then a chest of drawers. "I'll ask the staff in the morning."  
  
"What can you tell me about that night?" He sat back down at her side, and she closed her eyes. "About the people who did it--nothing else." He finished quickly.  
  
"Erm, there was more than one boy. Damn, I don't remember!" She wailed. "Wait, something about 'potions' and 'mysteries' they said 'we as followers' mumbo jumbo..oh there was something about 'those bastards the Creevys--I think it was Creevys, sounded kinda like Peeves, but with a "Kr- " sound. They said something about the 23rd of March methinks. It's nearly the 23rd now, isn't it?" Severus nodded slowly, trying to store all of this in his memory.  
  
"Anything else?" He sounded just like he did in his classroom--all professional. She had to smile at that.  
  
"No, after that I got." She stopped, she looked down at her paw-like hand all wrapped up in bandages. "I don't know who it was. I wish I did so I could tell you and you could go and murder them in my place."  
  
"I would if I could."  
  
She shrugged, "It's okay. I'm alive right?"  
  
"Right." He nodded, his eyes not as glittery-black as they once were.  
  
She smiled sympathetically. "Severus, I know you probably want to know more, but I hurt everywhere and I just want to close my eyes and sleep. I'm sorry."  
  
"No I'm sorry, go to sleep." He backed off and sat on the edge of his cot.  
  
After a few minutes she called, "Severus?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I know this sounds stupid--so don't laugh--but could you wake me for the sunrise?"  
  
He laughed, "Not stupid coming from you. Yes, I'll wake you." He could in all honesty actually imagine her reasons.  
  
"Thank you. Goodnight."  
  
He waited until he was quite sure she was asleep by the sounds of her light snoring, before walking off down the hallway to send off another owl to Professor Dumbledore. Though he was quite certain that this letter wouldn't contain the same sort of information, and definitely wouldn't be news spread around the staff room.  
  
Hagrid blubbered, "I'm so 'appy to know she's awake!" He burst into tears once again and Minerva grudgingly thrust her handkerchief into his hands.  
  
Minerva addled up to Remus. "Did Severus say who could have done it?"  
  
Remus shook his head and sat down on the couch in the staff room opposite where Minerva was now sitting down. "Did she remember any of it?" She choked out.  
  
Remus nodded his head sadly. And tried to muster a smile. "She remembered very little about her attackers, but she recalled a few of the things they had said before."  
  
"Oh, how awful. Is she holding up?"  
  
"Yes, Severus did say, in typical Severus fashion, that the only thing not affected was her smart mouth." Minerva smiled. "She'll be back next week if all goes well. Severus says she hasn't been up walking yet, and well.." Remus looked tired all of the sudden.  
  
Minerva smiled, "Well, that we can deal with in time, I'm just glad to hear she's doing fine."  
  
"She'll have missed quite a bit of school."  
  
"She's a quick study, and we'll give her what she needs to know and she'll still pass just fine--mark my words." McGonagall suddenly looked stern. "Severus is returning tomorrow then?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Glad to hear it. He was beginning to worry me."  
  
"Beginning?" Remus Lupin prodded.  
  
Minerva ignored that, "Not acting at all like his usual mean-spirited self. More like a half-spirited Severus."  
  
Remus snorted, "Sorry, but that made quite an impression upon my mind. He'll be back to his usual '50 points from Gryffindor' before you realize it."  
  
"Perhaps I was too hasty." Minerva stuttered.  
  
"Can I get a peg-leg?" Georgie was inquiring of the attendants as Severus just scowled and ran his hand down and over his face. "How about a parrot? Or a carrot? Squawk, I'm a carrot, squawk!"  
  
"Georgie, I'm going to murder you myself."  
  
"Oh, get off it. You haven't heard word one from me for a month, you can put up with just a little to start you out again, can't you?"  
  
"I'm out of practice in dealing with you." He growled.  
  
"In dealing with me?" She turned on him. "Broken bones, bloodied and bruised with a gimpy leg, I can still make you eat those words Severus Snape!"  
  
He laughed inwardly at her, as she continued on down the corridors. She walked further down the corridor, with aides on either side of her. Her legs were battered and bruised beyond what she had been told, she had only been told that they were that way from their not being used for a month's time and that the bones were still setting. Severus was finding it harder and harder to not see the truth of what had happened, and harder still to try and conceal it from her.  
  
Not only had she been knocked out and dragged off to another place before being crammed into that tiny trunk and left to rot, but she had been seriously beaten in between those actions. She'd been beaten and cut and blasted and probably kicked around and more. It was disgusting to imagine that another child was capable of such an atrocity. She was so black and blue and swollen and broken and bloodied that the Mediwizards at first had difficulty gathering their own wits about them when they were told a student did that to her. Severus had almost shattered the arm of the chair he was grasping while he had waited to hear if the rape test came back positive or not. Merlin, how he felt like a worried parent these days.  
  
But she didn't need to know that--not yet at least. He didn't know if she'd agree with this or not, but for now it wasn't her decision to make, it was his: and he had made it. What frightened him more was the possibility that she was conscious when a lot of the injuries were inflicted.  
  
Now he just needed to concentrate on her getting better and how she was handling everything. Her parents had visited the first week she was in the Hospital for a few days during the week--Severus was glad he was up at Hogwarts when they came to see her--he didn't know if he could handle them without her there. They were owled from someplace far off--Greece or New Guinea or someplace, Severus hadn't paid any attention to that detail, which is a rare enough occurrence for him. They were in town someplace now, staying with friends and awaiting word he gathered. They were to visit that week before the weekend when Severus and Georgie could leave.  
  
She hobbled up to him, "See? I'm fab. Let's get out of here." She hissed under her breath.  
  
He stood, "Can't let you. Listen, I have to make a visit now that I'm in London. I'll be back tonight. You'll be alright?"  
  
She rolled her eyes and grinned sappily at him, "I'm not made of porcelain-- off with you."  
  
He strode down the hall: no you're not porcelain, but I have seen you broken and that was bad enough. And so Severus Snape made his winding way to The Department of Mysteries.  
  
Professor Snape returned with his usual mean-spirited and snide fervor. Minerva was glad to have him back, but could he possibly let up on her Gryffindors? Siobhan and Niamh were both quite friendly with the man, and would visit him when he was sitting alone in his lounge trying to read and also when they heard Georgie had woken up at last. They liked the man more from Lupin's retelling of Severus' dedication to their friend. And they hardly batted an eye when he awarded 40 points to each of them for their brilliant owl-idea. Though they were slightly insulted at receiving points for something they'd have done anyway.  
  
The week was uneventful and slow for everyone, Georgie especially as she was still painfully recovering from her more serious injuries. She was walking around unaided after the first few days and spent much of her time walking outside in the sunshine, though it was still bitterly cold. Her parents visited her almost daily and were to leave for Greece at the end of the week. It was nice to see them, but being in a hospital magnified everyone's quirks.  
  
Georgie's only highlight was when she received a letter on Friday from Severus. After verifying her identity to the locks put on the paper -typical Severus--I wasn't very long and it was to the point. It explained how the Creevys were a husband-and-wife team of Aurors, who had secretly been gathering information on several Death Eaters. The pair had been found out and their lives were in danger, as a young initiate was being required to hunt them down and kill them. What a surprise it was to young Nott to find a Magical Law Enforcement Squad waiting in hiding in the Creevy's house for him to take a shot at the magically protected couple. So he wanted her to know there was one less member of Slytherin house. Nott broke down and admitted to much, and even implicated that possibly the young Travers was involved as well--possibly the other voice she had heard-- but it looks like that one might get off with a very lenient sentence. He wouldn't break down to divulge the third person involved--although he did let it slip that there was a third person.  
  
Severus added at the bottom, "Just thought you'd appreciate hearing it here first before seeing it in the Daily Prophet. There shouldn't be any mention of you in the paper, but you may be called to the trial. Don't talk about the details until that point though. You helped save their lives in a roundabout but crucial way, you realize. Recover, Severus."  
  
She laughed, how typically Severus.  
  
Saturday came and Georgie sat and waited for Severus to retrieve her. She got her robes back and her wand was finally back in her pocket. But he was late, she frowned. She was itching to get out of there.  
  
He showed up an hour late and Georgie was frowning at him as he entered. He apologized curtly, "But we had trouble getting here, come with me and you'll see why." He looked darkly at her.  
  
"Who's we?" He only motioned for her to follow. The hospital released her and she followed Severus down to the front entrance, after having argued with an attendant about whether she really needed to be wheeled outside. Sitting out front in a Muggle convertible car were Siobhan and a gorgeous Sirius Black sat behind the wheel. Georgie squealed and ran to them leaning in over the car.  
  
"Great surprise isn't it?" Siobhan laughed and opened the door to them.  
  
"It's wonderful, how did you.?"  
  
"Severus planned it." Sirius grinned toothily and pointed at the man towering behind her, Georgie looked up at him "Thanks heaps Severus." She looked at him curiously for a long minute. He was acting so odd lately.. Very unlike his usual self. Must've scared some sense into him.  
  
"Well, get in." Severus pushed her. "I believe you have to be on the inside of this machine for it to take you anywhere."  
  
Georgie rolled her eyes and jumped in the back. Siobhan turned around in the front seat, "Listen, we've got this idea: we're going out for dinner. Isn't that a great idea? We just came up with it. Initially we were supposed to just pick you up and deliver you to Hogwarts, but we'll make an evening of it--see a bit of London, too."  
  
Sirius looked at Severus raising one eyebrow in question, "Alright with you?"  
  
"Ask her." He pointed to Georgie.  
  
"Food!" Georgie and sealed all of their fates as Sirius revved the engine and Severus looked like he was going to be ill.  
  
Georgie was so glad to be back at Hogwarts, she just couldn't get enough of it. "Hospitals really are horrid," she moaned once again.  
  
Severus looked up at her pacing around like a caged cat before the fire. "You recovered there, though." He pointed out. She still had a slight limp, if one could even call it a limp.  
  
"Yes, but you feel so.stuck, so helpless, so sick." Severus bit his tongue. "It's like being buried alive, you're stifled and you can't breath in there." She trailed off. "Also my walls were painted pink: Unacceptable!" She raved.  
  
Severus was momentarily startled by her allusion to being buried alive. He eyed her curiously. He was nearly sure now from snippets she'd dropped in conversations and by the way she constantly wanted to see the sun and walk outdoors, that Georgie remembered more than she had told on that night. But he didn't blame her, and he felt for her. How does one out and tell someone--even a friend--that one remembered being beaten to within an inch of one's life, broken so badly so as to be stuffed into a box and locked away with little air or light for two days. Beyond beaten really--she was shattered. He wouldn't try and pry it from her as well; she probably had enough trouble coming to terms without his pestering. No good person should have to endure that.  
  
And ever since Remus had shown him the Death Eaters card, Severus had felt slightly responsible for it. Not directly, but in an indirect way. They were in his House--they were Death Eaters, he let them carry on when he knew that they involved in the same things as their fathers before.  
  
But Georgie was strong. She'd shooed Severus away every time he offered to walk out with her, threatening him with bodily harm. She'd insisted that next week they take up her 'lessons' so she could vent some of her anger in the physical exercise. No, she didn't cry or complain or pity herself, but instead pretended as if it almost didn't happen. He knew the path, for he had walked it many times. He knew it would end in a horrible breakdown and a realization, but sometimes that was for the best..she'd be surrounded by friends when she fell..  
  
He snorted, "Yes, pink--unacceptable."  
  
She rejoined her classes and stayed buried in her schoolbooks and the library that after a week she was nearly caught up--Except in Herbology. She was starting to lose her motivation as her project marks sunk lower and lower. She told herself she really didn't care, but in truth it hurt her ego a bit. Severus pointed this out and remarked even he didn't have perfection in all disciplines, so not to worry if she was doing her best. That's what irked her: she wasn't doing her best. She would switch-off because she knew everything would go to hell if she touched it, so why trouble oneself?  
  
Severus opened the door one Saturday after having watched a Quidditch match. Georgie hadn't felt like going, as Slytherin wasn't playing and neither Hufflepuff nor Gryffindor excited her. Severus virtually glowed as he stepped inside, and Georgie raised her head then lowered it to her gossip magazine, "Hufflepuff won, eh?"  
  
"What do you think?"  
  
"I think you're pathetic." She smiled vindictively. "Did you ever play?"  
  
"No. I was occupied by loftier pursuits."  
  
"Chasing skirts?"  
  
"Shut-up."  
  
She smiled a secret smile. "I know you were."  
  
"You know no such thing, little fool."  
  
"Than I've been misinformed, forgive me." She tried to sound disinterested and focused in on her celebrity photos.  
  
"Who informed you?" He eventually asked as he sat opposite her.  
  
"No, you're right--foolish gossip shouldn't be passed on. Silly of me, forget I said anything."  
  
And it looked for a minute like he would, but Georgie couldn't wait. "Oh go on, ask me about it already."  
  
"No."  
  
"Damn, you're no fun."  
  
"Neither is my past or personal life." He grimaced.  
  
"Ouch. Lack thereof, I reckon.."  
  
"Cauldron calling the pot black."  
  
"Funny."  
  
He ran his hand through his hair absently, "Yes that's me. Funny." He considered speaking for a moment, before actually continuing the pointless conversation. "You should stop revisiting those things--I try to."  
  
"It's either I pick apart the past or the present, you're choice. I've tried my hand at your future, but well.. Only Trewlaney's got that true gift."  
  
"Pick apart the present then," He said somewhat bitterly as he stood up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Georgie asked eyeing him confusedly, and with a trace of what Severus assumed to be panic.  
  
"To get the door. Someone just knocked." He made fun of her.  
  
"Didn't hear it."  
  
"No?" He acted shocked. "Queen of the Blatantly Obvious makes another earth-shattering declaration." He opened the door then turned immediately away from it, revealing to Georgie's sight a loopy-grinned Siobhan. Siobhan walked in ignoring the cold reception from her Professor and sat by Georgie. "Is that this month's?"  
  
Georgie turned her magazine upside-down, "No, last month's."  
  
"Damn, I can't find anyone with the new one."  
  
"Woe, is the fate of the world." Severus snarled from his stiff perch on his couch.  
  
"No one was asking for your opinion." Georgie hissed, slightly angered. "Want to walk out?"  
  
Georgie now had a habit of most everyday sitting out on one of the castle's Battlements and staring down onto the lake and the Forest. The great stonework partly blocked some of the seasonal winds, but Georgie didn't care even if it didn't. She had her little stone seat and her face upturned for hours to the sunshine and the openness comforted her.  
  
"No, it's too windy. The rain I don't mind, but the wind blows right through you." The other girl shivered just thinking of it. She looked to Severus. "Sorry to hear about Orris McDade, Professor Snape."  
  
Georgie and Severus both halted all thinking and feeling, the silence was heavy and Severus instantly collected himself enough to ask coolly, "What's wrong with Miss McDade?"  
  
"Escaped from Azkaban last night. It's said she had outside help." Siobhan replied matter-of-factly. "Don't worry, I haven't told anyone at all that you knew her--no one would believe me anyhow." She muttered under her breath. "I can't take anymore escaped prisoners..First Black, now her.."  
  
Severus contorted his face, Georgie thought he was going to explode, but she was too busy trying to muffle her laughter, with no effect whatsoever. She howled maniacally, hiccuping as she attempted to cover her mouth.  
  
"What is the matter with you?" Severus demanded.  
  
"Lord, if it's not one thing after another! I swear Hogwarts is the most lunatic place I've ever been, barking insane the lot of you. Nothing can remain normal--no, crazies and killers and twists and turns. One thing after another, if Voldemort shows up tomorrow to serve me breakfast in bed I will take it all in stride. I swear this place is going to mess me up or worse." She choked. "Lord, it's one after another."  
  
"I bet that's what old Mr. Weasley said after Ronald was born." Siobhan giggled taking Georgie in with her.  
  
"Ach, don't worry about it. She's long turned mad, the papers said so-- straight from the Ministry. She probably wandering Surrey eating bark off trees by now."  
  
Severus stared at the Irish girl with repulsion. "Where's Niamh?" He changed the topic abruptly, making both of the women swallow their laughter and sober quickly.  
  
"Don't know. She's been gone all day, figured she'd found her way to the Quidditch pitch or something."  
  
"It's been over for quite some time now."  
  
"Fine," she shrugged darkly, then added, "What are you saying?" She eyed him.  
  
"Do you need everything spelled out for you?"  
  
"Y-e-s." She glared defiantly at him, the funny glow under her skin popping up again.  
  
Georgie had been craning her head back and forth, like someone watching a tennis match, "Niamh can look after herself." She had cleared her throat. "I think we're out of burn salve, I think now's an excellent time to make some up. I could use a hand, Siobhan?" Georgie gingerly using her still sore arm tugged to bring her friend to her feet and out the door to Snape's empty classroom. Siobhan was starting to step out of line, she really ought to watch herself more carefully.  
  
Georgie didn't bring up the tension left behind in that room and to her relief neither did the other two involved. Strange how just some days, things and people act so very odd. 


	23. Chapter Twenty Three Visitor

Chapter Twenty Three -- Visitor  
  
The weeks passed in a blur and Georgie slowly resolved to her fate at not being perfect at every subject--not that she was perfect, it was just how Severus put it. Herbology would forever be the thorn in her side and if she did pass it would be a miracle. And even she could no longer blame the language--it was just the gardening bit. She was cursed, she groaned as yet another of the plants died under her painstaking touch. She felt horrid as Professor Sprout was a friend and tried hard to help the younger witch when she struggled.  
  
"You can't best them all." Severus murmured disinterestedly for the umpteenth time from his seat. "Besides, you may never need it in future."  
  
"Just my luck there'll be some stupid trap or task making me put my life on the line for it."  
  
He looked up unsmiling, "How so?"  
  
"Well, if we go by the records here at Hogwarts, I'm bound to come across some Chamber of Secrets or some crazy 'grow this or you don't get to move on' puzzle and I'll be down in that Chamber for forever."  
  
"You're ranting."  
  
"Yes, and my logic's impaired, I know." She growled. "I get this way when I fail at something."  
  
"In a year's time you'll have forgotten the rest of it all and you'll have forgotten you ever had problems in the first place."  
  
"If that's your attempt at being comforting then let me just tell you it sucks."  
  
"I quit."  
  
"You fail." She collapsed in a heap on her couch, her face obscured from his view, though he wasn't looking at her.  
  
Georgie had taken Severus out at last just that week for a belated Birthday present. She'd taken him to the Opera where Severus had caused heads to turn to stare. He had absolutely refused to not wear Wizarding robes, so he looked a bit out of place to say the least, but they enjoyed the evening nonetheless. Severus had been once before many years ago and had remembered the building and the auditorium from back then.  
  
Georgie was still a bit uneasy about that night though. Not the staring problem--but the going out again in public part. It felt foreign to her, though she never let on. She was glad she was with Severus. If she felt safe with anyone it was with him. Why, he probably could take on a robber single-handedly, like a hero in those miserable romances. The ones she hid behind her regular books in the bookcase. Anyhow, she reminded herself that lethal friends were always safer so she should find more of those types.  
  
And, to be honest, yes Severus' insistence on not conforming pissed her off! She didn't mind that he was greasy and pale and his hair was stringy and uneven, no--he was a man and men had peculiar.habits. She could put up with his hygiene. She knew he bathed, so at least he tried! But his teeth! Good Lord, man, she hadn't the patience for this!  
  
She lay and pondered all of this over once again in her mind, growing more and more incensed, but she couldn't very well say anything. He had mercifully held back his scathing remarks for quite sometime now and to bring these up would make her look so shallow..Damn, the politics of friendships. If when a friend is asked if the other looked ridiculous in an outfit, should one tell them truthfully or lie to save their feelings? Georgie thought she'd probably tell the truth if asked, but as Severus never asked for her opinion on his appearance she just couldn't volunteer it.  
  
She rolled over onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. "Penny for your thoughts?"  
  
He looked up at her, "I was reading therefore I haven't any thoughts that would interest you in the way you'd hoped."  
  
"Try me." She dryly retorted.  
  
Half of his mouth betrayed him by turning up at the side, "I need to buy Dragon's blood next time I'm out, I need Flitwick to cast a stronger spell on the castle gate and.."  
  
"And what?"  
  
"And..I'm getting too old for this." He dropped his book down into his lap.  
  
She blinked at him. "For me, or this?" She indicated widely with her arms.  
  
"For this." He assured her and shrugged.  
  
"Oh." She didn't know what to say.  
  
"You're not saying anything." Severus pointed out uneasily.  
  
"And you think I'm blatantly obvious? I said nothing because I wouldn't have said anything of worth, so I stopped myself from blabbing on like a fool before I even started." She ran on quickly. "Before I gave you further evidence of my foolishness."  
  
"Good enough reason. Potion for your thoughts?"  
  
"Do you think I only ask you so you in turn can turn it all back on me?" She chortled heartily at him.  
  
"No, but answer the question."  
  
"Yes, Professor Snape," She barked insolently. "My thoughts? Oh, well I'm hungry and it's cold in here and I'm glad the snow's melting at last and I wonder where Orris is." She held her breath so she could calculate his response.  
  
"I believe she must be quite a way off by now, and if she's mad as Siobhan and The Prophet say on top of the memory charms performed on her, then she's most likely walked off into the sea."  
  
"Yick."  
  
"Happens." He explained matter-of-factly.  
  
"Not in my sphere of life."  
  
"That's because your sphere of life up until now has been only happy and peaceful and sheltered, with dancing and prancing dunderheads at the Institute."  
  
"That's not fair," Georgie felt hurt.  
  
"No, it wasn't. But it didn't help you to acquaint yourself with the ways of the world and all it's darkness and how it really is."  
  
"And you think it's better to destroy all innocence and hope? What a bleak world you must see through your eyes." She shook her head mournfully. "I think the world's a great place with heaps of fun and jokes and knowledge and conversations and I wouldn't miss these for the world. Regardless of a few isolated incidents."  
  
"You are allowed your opinion."  
  
She raised her eyebrows at him, but didn't argue further. It was queer how sometimes she thought Severus was breaking out of his old shell, then all of the sudden he'd revert back to his nasty and dark old bitter self.  
  
"Do you ever wish for things to be different than they are? Do you ever get lonely I mean? Wish you'd had the normal life: wife, kids, dragon in the yard and all that?"  
  
"Normal never suited me. And women have caused me more trouble than I'd care to admit-yourself included." He grinned evilly. "No that life's not for me, I'm resigned to the fact and am content."  
  
"I'm thinking that way too lately, isn't it a bit of a cop-out to settle down? When there's so much one could accomplish without the burdens of someone else to harping on your every move and motive. I've got so much I'd like to accomplish first."  
  
Females always linger on the emotional and romantic aspects of life-whether they see it to admit it or not. "Minerva would argue that unfortunately our lives, even our futures aren't organized or predictable. That's why I never bet on Oracles." He tossed his head in indignation.  
  
Georgie saw that her conversation was taking an al too familiar turn, which would predictably put her friend's back up by the end of it. "So if Orris is mad and wandering the cliffs of Dover about to jump like a lemming why haven't the Ministry officials caught up with her yet?"  
  
"A good question. Hence asking Flitwick once again to strengthen Hogwarts' protections." That the Ministry is useless, was the first thought to jump to his mind..  
  
"Scaredy cat."  
  
"Not fearful of her per se." He spoke slowly and drawn out, "I'm not fond of unpredictable psychotic-escapees. Whether they recognize me or no; it just doesn't sit well with me regardless." Georgie silently agreed that this was wise reasoning.  
  
So all he can do is sit back and wait to see if they come for him. "Oh well, it's still pretty exciting to know about someone written up in the papers."  
  
"You haven't been here long enough." Severus grimaced. Just wait...  
  
Severus Snape, Potions Master and self-proclaimed embittered shell of a man, had finally gotten to sleep--though not a naturally occurring one-- he'd had help. Days came and went and he still struggled with his insomnia.  
  
Out in the common room no one was awake, save one girl sitting close to the dying fire and struggling under the added assistance of a single candle to study from an enormous Potions book spread open in front of her. She was determined to pass that blasted class or else..  
  
A noise startled her and she hopped o her feet instinctively and fingered her wand in deep her pocket. It had come from outside the common room's secret entrance, perhaps someone was trying to break in? She tiptoed over to the wall where the door opened out, listening. No, she mustn't jump to conclusions. It was probably just another Slytherin out to the Astronomy tower and sneaking back in--couldn't blame anyone for that now could she?  
  
She nearly screamed as a silvery figure passed through the wall inches from her face. She growled, "Bloody hell, couldn't you at least knock or warn me or something! I thought you were a burglar out to kill us in our beds as we slept, making all that noise out there." Her heart was thumping in her chest and her eyes flashed at the Bloody Baron. Usually she showed him more respect, but tonight she was at her nerves' ends anyway and couldn't handle this.  
  
His eyes widened at her tone, then started. "It's not I making the racket outside, and none of Slytherin House as well."  
  
She blinked at the information allowing a split second to sink in. "So who is it?"  
  
"No other student I'm afraid. This is an outsider, an intruder and I fear she's up to no good." He pronounced. "I think we should go wake up Professor Snape so he can straighten this whole thing out." But before the words were even all of the way out of his mouth, the door in the stone swung open and a tall woman walked through.  
  
"Ah!" Siobhan screamed in shock, and the woman smiled funnily at her and raised her wand. "Hello," She croaked as she stepped into the room and closer to the light. She was covered with scratches and smudges of blood on her hands and her face and with that disturbed look in her eye, she looked like the devil himself had sent her for Siobhan. Siobhan raised her wand in defense and sent the woman a stunner, causing the woman to be knocked off of her feet and landing her up against the stone wall, but not very forcefully.  
  
Seconds later voices were heard coming towards her and lights were lit as a handful of people come out to hear the commotion. Siobhan was beyond sense and reason now. It felt like a very strange and hazy dream almost, like she hadn't been the one to do it. She saw through a mist the Bloody Baron conversing with the Professor, pointing over at her every few seconds. Sounds came as a dull roar, like being underwater. She hardly even realized as someone tugged at her elbow and led her out of the room. She tried to tell them that she forgot her books and had to retrieve them, but the person wouldn't listen--and she was too tired to argue. Strange sensation, strange evening, strange woman..She mumbled as she settled down on her bed and the lights went out.  
  
Georgie sat up with Severus as he menaced and stomped around the lounge and was in all ways unpleasant. She just watched him over her Diet Coke can. This was ridiculous really. There wasn't anything they could do tonight so why did he feel the need to do this?  
  
Georgie interrupted Severus' monologue on safety in the castle, "Um, Severus is that really necessary?" She pointed at the figure of Orris McDade propped up against the wall with ties around the arms and legs--or at least it resembled Orris in a vague sort of way. The figure was gaunt and disheveled and dirty.  
  
"Yes. Wait, do you mean her being over there in the first place, or the ties?"  
  
"Her being there at all."  
  
"Wait an hour, then we'll move her." Dumbledore had been called after the breech of security, Georgie couldn't bring herself to call it an attack. He had suggested they watch for an hour or two to make very sure that it was indeed Miss McDade and not another using Polyjuice. Georgie had told Severus that if that figure changed to some stranger tied up on their floor she would flee, to which he said coldly that she would be free to do so.  
  
She drank her soda; damn she needed the caffeine. She wanted to point out that they did have lessons in the morning, so couldn't they just call it a night? Severus, not surprisingly, was obstinate. She really hadn't expected him to. He was ranting, almost in true Georgie style about the many possible ways Orris may have gained access to the castle unobserved. Filch was on the lookout and Hagrid would be informed to do as much in the morning.  
  
At a lull in Severus' conversation, Georgie tiredly broke in. "Isn't it odd how just a few days ago we were talking of her." She sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.  
  
"Perhaps, but I doubt it has any bearing on her appearance here now."  
  
"I know." She yawned and pulled her dressing robe tighter around her neck. "So, is she dead?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How? Siobhan?"  
  
"No. She's been dying ever since she left Azkaban. Starving and running herself ragged. Siobhan didn't kill her."  
  
"Her spell didn't kill her then?"  
  
"I think not. Or at least not entirely. She most likely died in here."  
  
Georgie shivered. "I think Siobhan will be glad to know that."  
  
"And you'd tell her if it had been otherwise?" Snape eyed her disdainfully.  
  
"Truth is always better than fiction, Snape. 'Sides I don't have to tell her otherwise, now do I?"  
  
"I suppose."  
  
"Creepy, she died in here. If she haunts this room and makes life a living hell, I'll blame you for dragging her on in here."  
  
"Well, where else would you have me put her? Besides who first made contact with the wretch?" He snapped. "We have to watch her and if sitting in the corridors outside were more to your liking comfort-wise, you should only have spoken up."  
  
She raised her bushy brows at him and sent him a look as if he were mad and a laughable creature. "Whatever you say. She's your girlfriend."  
  
Georgie sat down next to the body and propped her up before her. Georgie flopped the arms around in grandiose and eerie gestures as she struggled to keep the head from rolling to the side. Orris' arm gestured at the pacing gaunt man, "If you'd only had married me then none of this would have happened, " she pronounced for the body in a singsong lilting voice.  
  
Severus stopped mid-step and glared at her. "You're sick, you know that." To which she snorted and extricated herself from the body.  
  
"She's not coming back as a ghost I guarantee you." He crossed his thin arms across his chest.  
  
"Guarantees.ach..."  
  
"What, don't believe me?"  
  
"Yes, I believe you. I just think it a funny word from you."  
  
"What? Guarantee?"  
  
"Yes." She answered smugly.  
  
He ignored her and continued his infuriating pacing of the room. She recognized this in him as a nervous habit, but it didn't help to calm her nerves any.  
  
"You worrying about why she even came back here, aren't you?"  
  
Severus shot her an odd look, "Yes that is what I was thinking, of course, you imbecile. I gather that not all of her memory was erased. It was fortunate that she made it here first before she died."  
  
"You have no idea if she met up with anyone else--any Death Eaters." Georgie pointed out and curled up on the couch.  
  
"True, but Voldemort wouldn't bother with a lunatic and if he had heard about me I would either have been called up to be tested.." He didn't elaborate on what testing entailed and Georgie in her fatigue was thankful for the courtesy. "Either that or I'd be dead already. You may find it amazing that one was able to get into the castle, but I'm not surprised. Expected it even one day. I am quite sure that a whole army couldn't get through, but it would be simple enough for a few to--"  
  
"Please stop it." Georgie interrupted. "Sorry, but I'm really very tired and I can't handle any more bad news. I know I'm unsupportive and rude, but oh who the hell cares?" She waved her arms wildly about. "Your girlfriend gives me gooseflesh. I can offer you any number of suggestions and helpful things. 'Sides, if you know they can get in, why don't you fix it so they can't?"  
  
"I could in an instant, whether I can or not isn't the issue," He sneered at her. "The Dark Lord knows of the 'holes' in our defenses and so long as they stand, he believes that I'm keeping up my duty here at Hogwarts."  
  
"Yea, score one for the dark side." She said sarcastically. "Could've killed us all tonight, or Siobhan. That doesn't sit well with me, Snape." She threw his own words back at him.  
  
"Miss McDade was just a loon, she wasn't here to hurt a soul."  
  
But she could have, Georgie mulled. "Then what was she here for?"  
  
"I don't know." He scratched his cheek unaware that she was still staring at him.  
  
"Then don't speculate about that which you don't know." She grumbled. "Speak only of what you do know."  
  
He turned around and looked at her surprised, "You should be an investigator with the ministry. What a good, clear mind you have."  
  
"Only when I'm tired and my friends are threatened."  
  
"Oh, well then if that's all it takes.."  
  
Georgie couldn't help but laughing. "Yes, I can picture you as the one assigned to threaten!"  
  
He bowed, "Anything for the good of the populace."  
  
"Over the moors, take me to the moors  
  
dig a shallow grave  
  
and I'll lay me down  
  
Lesley-Anne, with your pretty white beads  
  
oh John, you'll never be a man  
  
and you'll never see your home again  
  
oh Manchester, so much to answer for  
  
Edward, see those alluring lights?  
  
tonight will be your very last night  
  
a woman said "I know my son is dead  
  
I'll never rest my hands on his sacred head."  
  
Hindley wakes and Hindley says:  
  
"Wherever he has gone, I have gone."  
  
But fresh lilac-ed moorland fields  
  
cannot hide the stolid stench of death  
  
Hindley wakes and Hindley says:  
  
"Whatever he has done, I have done."  
  
But this is no easy ride  
  
for a child cries,  
  
"find me...find me, nothing more  
  
we're on a sullen misty moor  
  
we may be dead and we may be gone  
  
but we will be right by your side  
  
until the day you die.  
  
this is no easy ride  
  
we will haunt you when you laugh  
  
yes, you could say we're a team  
  
you might sleep  
  
BUT YOU WILL NEVER DREAM!"  
  
Oh Manchester, so much to answer for  
  
Oh Manchester, so much to answer for  
  
Over the moor, I'm on the moor  
  
the child is on the moor.  
  
"Who's Hindley?"  
  
"Eh?" Her head snapped up to see Severus gliding into the room.  
  
"Hindley?"  
  
"Dunno. Does it matter? Just a song after all."  
  
He deposited himself onto the couch. "If you follow that logic, it's no large wonder that Muggles sing about such ridiculous topics then." He snorted in disgust.  
  
"Gawd, give me an inch here." She shook her head and looked away from him.  
  
"You have a song for every occasion it seems." He held his own books in his lap and fingered the covers absently.  
  
"Not really. I mean, haven't you noticed that they all have the same sort of.well, tone to them?"  
  
He smiled wily. "I have noticed."  
  
"Dunno why.."  
  
"Oh don't you?"  
  
She couldn't be bothered to gratify his attempts at being mysterious with an answer. "So, you failing Potter?" She smiled at him.  
  
"No." He huffed out forcedly. "His friend, Weasley may just do so on his own merit."  
  
"Ronald's getting bad marks in Potions?" Severus occasionally brought up the progress of specific younger students, almost as one would examine case studies.  
  
"Just not his 'thing', is that it?" He snarled back her own sort of an explanation before she got the chance to voice it.  
  
"No, I was just thinking about going over and scaring the ever-loving shit out of the boy, Put the fear of Gaw--Snape in him. Rant on about how if he doesn't do well, he'll never get to be head boy or Prefect or whatever the devil he strives for."  
  
"I don't think he strives for much. Look at how his older siblings fared."  
  
"I would if I knew them or who they were." Georgie simpered, delighting in catching him up. "I think I met the girl Weasley, Virginia. Younger, yeah?"  
  
Severus held his pointed face in his palm over his chest, "Yes, I sometimes forget you are here only one year. Yes, well the older boys are irresponsible--oldest two run amok abroad and at home--very wild. Their parents should never have had such a large litter--beyond control almost."  
  
Georgie missed the last part of his speech as she had doubled over her guitar in raucous laughter. "Litter!" That's awful, you know!" She howled and came up for air at last, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.  
  
"My point is that they are undisciplined and allowed too much freedom, and look what it's gotten any of them." Georgie bit her tongue. She was sure that Severus was being biased now--they couldn't all be such horrible children. She reminded herself to ask Ron Weasley when she saw him next to share about his siblings. If her mere presence didn't make him wet himself first.  
  
Lately the strain between Potter, Weasley, Granger and Georgie had loosened. She guessed it owed to Hermione's intervention, which Georgie wasn't pleased about--but what could one do now that it was done? So Potter's gang and Georgie were civil and 'got along' and on occasion had fun with Hagrid. But it was all very forced. Georgie was sure that if she were a Gryffindor and left to her own devices, she probably wouldn't have become such friends with them. But she really had wanted to prove to Severus that Potter wasn't so very bad, that it was possible to 'get along' and on top of everything, she just wanted to piss Snape off. To walk in and to see his face cloud over when he asked where she'd gotten off to. True it was childish and petty. But any small victory for her in their silly little war, was still a victory. 


	24. Chapter Twenty Four DoubleEdged Sword

Chapter Twenty-Four – Double-Edged Sword  
  
She yawned, "What do you do over the summer holiday, Snape?"  
  
He stretched his arms over his head, making them seem even whiter and even bonier. "I go and I come. I will spend some time in London. I'll continue to work with the Ministry. I might pass some time in France."  
  
"Visiting Andrew?" She baited.  
  
"Hunting down a few rare ingredients." He shot her a rude look. "And visiting Andrew. I know what you were thinking."  
  
She nodded in acknowledgement. "What's to do in London?"  
  
He looked at her askance a moment, "I usually assist in a Ministry Laboratory. This entails my working and researching, barking for everyone to leave me alone and to not bother me, then after a few weeks I come up with something....or not."  
  
"Fascinating."  
  
"What'll you be doing? Butterbeers? Giving it any more thought?"  
  
"You sound like my parents' letters. Yes I have given things more thought, but I can't tell you what I've decided yet, as I don't even know what I've decided yet."  
  
"Suit yourself." He chuckled. "But you have only a couple more weeks. Feel any different?"  
  
"How would I feel different?"  
  
"Knowing the school term's almost over. You schooling is really very much over, you will function adequately from now on. Saying goodbye to these hallowed halls and all that." He scoffed.  
  
"Hogwart's feels so dear to me, I know, it sounds stupid. I didn't have heaps of friends--not like at The Institute. I am very definitely not going to get passing marks in Herbology--I'm slowly accustoming myself to the fact. Oh well, life I suppose does go on. But I wish time could stay the same. Foolish grasping for the moon, but one always clings to the good and tries to relive them as often as possible." She rambled.  
  
"Whatever you think." He admitted somberly, though he didn't really pause long enough to take in what she was saying. "Now, if you have a window...." He got to his feet and banished her guitar right from out of her hands. "Really, music is good and relaxing and all--can't honestly say I've heard you improve--but at least I'm used to it now. But it's a poor use of time wouldn't you think." He stood next to her and she grudgingly got to her feet.  
  
"Only you would think it's a waste of time."  
  
"It's not a complete waste--just that time is better employed elsewhere."  
  
"How, by curing the world of it's ill's through potion-making? That's unfair. Without art and music we'd be lost--no sense of who we are, what makes us alive, why we mere mortals are worth the bother..." She punched him squarely in the arm for emphasis, then started to walk away.  
  
"I did have a point."  
  
"Funny way of getting it across."  
  
"Maybe if you shut up for long enough...." He snarled. "I was going to ask you if you'd assist me in my classroom--on a potion I'm experimenting with. It shouldn't take more than an hour--you won't miss the meal." He sneered.  
  
She cocked an eyebrow up in disbelief. He was asking her to help him? Was this a joke? If it wasn't, well, she'd be flattered and amazed--what an opportunity. It wasn't lost on her. On every other occasion he'd preferred to go at it alone, mumbling about dangerous materials and blah blah. She narrowed her eyes and followed him from the room, not daring to ask a question in the case that it was a joke and he wanted to laugh at her or humiliate her.  
  
They'd been at each other's throat the past few days especially. It was the stresses building as the term neared completion and the added thoughts for Georgie about the Mediwizardry training. It was turning into almost a boon--though a rather twisted one--that Severus was teaching her to fight and to defend herself. Not only was she getting better at the grappling, kicking, biting dirty sort of fighting, but she puffed up inside just on the secret knowledge that she could poison his supper, or hurl a jinx on him now before he had time to react. It was a step in the direction of finding some equal playing ground between them.  
  
And now here she stood actually discussing with him how to counter a common poison: start with an antidote or a sort of a vaccine? Antidotes were easier, Severus informed, but as he'd already tried the eggs and the body organs of the rare magical bird to counteract the poisonous blood and had come up with nothing, he'd have to start looking somewhere completely different.  
  
"Not to sound stupid, but how will you get hold of that? It's only grown in where? Seychelles, or someplace? And there's a strict exportation ban. You'll not get a chance to test it. What it you try that Cowslip Snake thing--they're related--same order, or family, or something."  
  
He fought back the impulse to correct her--'Cowslip Snake' thing indeed! "We could try that as well, but the Ministry can get me anything I need."  
  
"Anything?" She teased.  
  
"Anything." He repeated patiently. "Why is there something not at Hogwarts you want? I could put in a good word for it. What is it you need?" He teased back as he rifled through his shelves.  
  
Her face lit up. Alright, she knew he wasn't thinking about exotic food or fancy robes, or anything as crazy as having her own private submarine--just a thought! But her face fell with a hint of sadness. "No, the Ministry can't help me--Ministry's rotten anyhow." She smiled weakly. "I'm groovy. What have they gotten for you?"  
  
"To start with, I have a flat I can use whenever I have need of it. It's protected by all kinds of spells and silencing charms. I get any ingredient I ask for, and I'm left to myself. That's all I ask."  
  
"Well, If that's all you want..." She shrugged, catching sight of the medium sized jar she still held in her hand. She set it down on the worktable and twisted the lid off to extract the slippery tube-like tissues inside, tossing it into the bubbling liquid.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?'  
  
"Nothing meant by it. Just, haven't you even wanted anything outlandish and crazy? I figure the ministry nearly owes you by this time, so shouldn't you ask for something mad? Like ask for The Eiffel Tower or something? Just to see what they'd say to your request."  
  
"I don't want it." He spat. "If I felt the need to test how far they would go, I assure you I would have tested. However I am quite assured of the lengths to which I can go and to how much assistance I can get. At least from certain cooperating officials and departments." Fudge was a waste of time, she'd gathered from his many scathing remarks.  
  
"Meaning, good."  
  
"Yes, meaning good." He parroted her. "What is it you've said on occasion, 'playing you cards right?' I'll never understand how you and Siobhan can play that imbecilic card game night after night! Not at all like Chess with it's strategies, it's parallels...."  
  
"Whoa, missy. Are we talking of Chess or are we going to get me a submarine?"  
  
He blinked at her in silence. "I think I've fallen asleep and this is some nightmare."  
  
"You dream about your potions? Making them I mean?"  
  
"No, I enjoy making potions too much to have such a pleasant subject in my dreams. No, usually I dream about them going horribly wrong, falling into the wrong hands--end of the world so to say on account of me."  
  
"Wow, no wonder you wake up perky."  
  
He turned his back on her and walked over to a cabinet and unlocked it with his wand. Everything was meticulous in there as well, ordered and labeled. He returned with a vial of yellow powder in hand. "What I wonder at is how you wake up at all."  
  
"Hullo? What ya mean?"  
  
"You have said before that you never recall your dreams. So you must in a sense, or at least to your consciousness, fall asleep, then a few scant minutes later you wake up. I wonder at how you feel rested, how you feel satisfied with having that whole period of time not registering in your memory, and then just getting up and going on with your day. I'm not a very trusting person, of course you know this, but were I not you and perhaps myself in consciousness--who can and must account for every minute of waking and sleeping--a missing eight hour period would have me worried."  
  
"You're going to make me all paranoid now, I'll never sleep well again. Thank you ever so much!" She growled.  
  
"Just calling it as I see it." He measured out a specified amount by eye and dropped it in.  
  
She followed his movements. "It's not working. If it were going to work it would be doing so by now."  
  
"Stop, Give it ten more minutes before we toss it. Always so quick to jump to conclusions."  
  
"I'm usually right."  
  
"But not always, good thing too." He nearly scolded. "Patience is a virtue."  
  
"You're a fine one to talk of virtue." She sniffed, feeling a bit stung over his reprimand.  
  
Severus whirled around, bringing his robes billowing around him suddenly. His eyes wide with amusement, he smirked "Oh really! How have I shown myself to be un-'virtuous'?" He leaned up nonchalantly against his own desk and set his hands in his lap. It was something new everyday with her. Why couldn't she just leave well enough alone?  
  
Georgie rolled her eyes, "Well, apart from that whole 'Thou shalt not turn to the Evil bad master and do his bidding and make it so hundreds of your friends and fellow men are tortured and killed, allowing for general chaos to rule and all of Britain to be plunged into a period of fear and darkness' thing. The 'for evil to prosper means good men do nothing...' I don't recall it exactly, but that's the gist of it."  
  
"I did all that?" He whistled in mock amazement. "I don't give myself near enough credit." He laughed lightly bringing Georgie into it. "You're a very horrid girl to bring that up all the time. I find that one of the double-edged swords of being around you."  
  
"Eh, how so?" She wasn't following him.  
  
"You have accepted me and my deeds." She nodded and urged him to continue. "Now you talk lightly of those bad old days as if I were just a foolish teen doing what normal teens do. You're used to it."  
  
"Well, you're used to it. Why the surprise?"  
  
He ran his hand up to his hair, "Not surprise. Rather, there's the danger I'll make too light of it and start to forgive myself." And that you'll do that same...  
  
"Oh and then that'll be the end of the world," She defied and snapped at him. "You're an idiot, Snape. I'd remind you in some deeply depressing way every single damn day if I thought it'd make any difference. But it won't, so I can't be bothered." She shook her head, "Idiot."  
  
"I am not an idiot, just look at the position I'm in. I can't afford to forget."  
  
"Yes, but do you need to dwell so on it?" She winced.  
  
"Why, does it make you uncomfortable?" He bantered.  
  
"It's not about me!" She nearly shrieked, her fists balled up under her rage.  
  
"Then what is it about?" He was still smirking in her disapproving face and the role reversal sorely ate at her nerves.  
  
She shrugged, "You're right."  
  
"Then what is it about?" He repeated to her, his smile faltering.  
  
"I don't know what we're talking about anymore." She had a clue, but everything was so muddled in her head at that moment. She wanted to push Severus back into his place and make him listen to reason. To remember and to honor the past and to learn from the mistakes--but to re-live them everyday, and to torture one's self over it--of course it wasn't healthy. It certainly wasn't how she would have handled things had it been her.  
  
But what sort of argument could she make to her friend to get him to heed her suggestions for treating himself better. No, he would have to find his own self-worth on his own; no amount of complimenting or challenging could drag it out of him. Not yet at least.  
  
"But you're slightly right, it does make me uncomfortable. The you I know now wouldn't do those things, so it's foreign to hear about it."  
  
He frowned at what she'd intended to be a compliment. He hoped that she wasn't nitwit enough to start seeing him through some warped glass, or placing him on a pedestal. "Interesting. But the truth still remains that I did do it. I am grateful for that and even more grateful that only you and possibly Dumbledore actually know me well enough to make that claim."  
  
"Yup, especially since so much depends on it appearing the opposite." She added lamely, to which he nodded, then shrugged indecisively.  
  
"I don't think it's reacted the way we'd hoped." Georgie pointed a square finger over towards the cauldron.  
  
"I didn't think it would." He replied stiffly.  
  
"Disappointed?" She prodded.  
  
"Why?" He looked up at her darkly.  
  
"You don't act disappointed."  
  
"I all but knew for a fact that it would fail."  
  
"No swearing, no storming about....you're not human."  
  
"I knew--" But Georgie cut him off.  
  
"Just say 'Damn'. Just one bad little curse or swear. Come on, just say it!"  
  
He extinguished the fire. "What are you rambling about?"  
  
"Say 'Damn'. Just once."  
  
"No," He looked at her as if she were mad. "Why ever would I do that?"  
  
"Because I've never heard you say anything like it."  
  
"I've said damn. When something merits it. Only imbeciles feel the need to supplement their speech with expletives. Others choose to pepper their speech in a way that gives rise to no need for anything other than their words. Those carry the same force and feeling and do twice the damage." He looked down to the cauldron and drew a bit up to examine it closer. "That's enough for now."  
  
"So just say it then." She put her hands on her hips and affected a challenging stance. "You're just being difficult."  
  
He set everything down, "You're still harping on about that? Why? Just to say it? That's pointless. There are better ways at expressing oneself." He pronounced, the condescending edge to his voice leapt up that he usually only produced while teaching.  
  
"Just say it. Please?! It'd make me very happy. And lighthearted and whimsical and everything good and light. Oh, come on. Just say Damn and I'll leave you alone, just say it, so I can say I've heard it."  
  
"Who would you tell?"  
  
"No one, it's for my own personal enjoyment, Sugar Lips."  
  
"That's a very cruel thing to say."  
  
"You said it about me. Why you keep me around--for your entertainment."  
  
His lips thinned and his eyes darkened, Georgie's vigor weakened for a moment--was he upset now? "Like I said: a cruel thing to say, from a cruel person." He stood up and crossed the floor between them. He stood by her shoulder and they both looked at the cauldron resting in the front of the room now, no activity coming from it. He patted down the top of her head. "Don't start to sound like me. It won't suit you." She began to open her mouth to say something, but decided instead to clamp it shut. At times, perhaps it owed to moodiness, but she felt as if she were a dog being petted and congratulated whenever she did something. But she didn't dare say anything for fear that he might stop, and she enjoyed the human interaction, what little she got of it.  
  
He took hold of both of her shoulders and turned her around pushing her to the door. "You'd better get up there for the meal. I'll be up in a bit, I've got something I need to attend to."  
  
She opened her mouth to protest, she would help him clean up a bit...But he held up his hand.  
  
"Will you get out of my damn classroom, Georgie!" He bellowed and snarled at her as she ran chuckling from the room.  
  
Albus Dumbledore made his leisurely time down to Severus' private quarters. Severus had informed him of a meeting that evening and the Headmaster was anxious to hear back from the younger man. Usually the Potions professor made his own way up to Dumbledore's office if the hour wasn't completely out of the question. But Dumbledore figured it really was just after two or so and it wouldn't put him out any to travel down the many flights of stairs. He enjoyed ever stone in that building and it was a comfort to wander about in it when the building creaked and whistled and strained to tell all of it's many secrets.  
  
The old man let himself in by way of the common room and then over to the 'lounge' as Georgie dubbed it these days. He deftly pushed open the door so as not to alert anyone should they be up. And immediately he felt another watching presence. His eyes behind his half-moon spectacles adjusted to the half-light still emanating form the heart. Severus was sitting bolt upright in the far and opposite corner of the room, his chair backed up to the wall. Dumbledore entered in and shut the door after him under the watchful and frowning gaze of the man in the corner.  
  
"Good evening Severus. I hoped to find you still awake at this late hour and I wasn't disappointed. May I sit with you for a few minutes?" He waited for Severus to nod to the request before the older man drew up a wooden chair a few scant feet from the stiff man in the corner. Severus peered down his nose at his old friend and his eyes gleamed in a sinister fashion that Dumbledore found not unnerving, but more annoying.  
  
"I apologize that I must intrude tonight, but you see I have an appointment with a committee from the Ministry early in the morning, so I'm afraid, this must transpire tonight." He frowned. "I see that George Flaing has retired for the evening and has prepared you..." He arched his eyebrows in the direction of a glass on the table nearest to the fire. "Ah, yes, Asphodel. Funny how you find it easy enough to whip that up for others, yet you hardly ever heed your own advice. Nor would it seem that you are heeding hers tonight."  
  
"If all you came here to do...." Snape's face darkened.  
  
Dumbledore leaned back in his high-backed chair and stared the other man down. "Feel free to begin when you see moved to do so, Severus."  
  
Snape blatantly clenched his jaw and twisted his hands together tensely. "I will tell you all that I didn't dare tell the girl. Do you recall Martin Palmer? Had a fine head for Charms, matriculated perhaps, oh, ten years back? Well, he's dead. And his wife with him. No reason why they should be so singled out. There's honestly no method to the madness. Sometimes they bring out people for sport, and sometimes people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Pity he and his wife happened upon us at that time. Pity it wasn't some hapless Muggle either." He tilted his head off to the side, and his lank hair fell further across his face, disguising his figures. "It's funny how these things work out. We had said all that needed to be said, Pettigrew spoke for his Master, and we were all just about to Apparate away--some had already done so as a matter of fact--when someone hissed that they heard voices coming. We all hid in a thick copse and snared them in. Perfect predators if it weren't so senseless."  
  
Dumbledore had this instinct that perhaps Snape had been drinking, but he wasn't entirely sure and wasn't about to hazard a guess and ask. It was quite possible as well, that exhaustion was finally catching up with the man. He was human, though it was easy to forget.  
  
"Then there they lay, and at such odd angles, Circe help them, every bone in their body must have been smashed. Amazing difference a killing curse makes when aided by maiming curses and when coming from many places at once. The force from all the blasts, the animosity behind them all, it twists and warps the body—bends it all rather unnaturally. A bit grotesque after the deed. And it really wasn't the shock of seeing them look like that, I've long since ceased to be amazed or moved--I'm sorry, but that's the long and short of it." He glared at the old man's disapproving looks. "But it was the fact that I'd seen the scene before. Exactly laid out like it was tonight. That's the curious part."  
  
Dumbledore gave him a look across the darkness begging him to articulate.  
  
"I've had recurring dreams before." His eyes came into clearer focus, "I don't even know why I am telling you this, and it certainly has nothing to do with anything that the Ministry needs to know." He warned.  
  
"You could tell me because I am concerned for your welfare, old friend." Dumbledore stated simply.  
  
Snape snorted, cast his eyes up to the ceiling then continued. "My recurring dream involves my stumbling across a circle of trees in the near pitch blackness and then stumbling across a body. A body twisted and maimed, with a thin trickle of blood running down the side of the body's stone mouth. I knew what I'd be seeing as I inched closer. I wasn't surprised because it was as I'd seen it. It was a perfect replica of my dream."  
  
Albus leaned forward enthralled, "I believe you, though I'm not sure as to the purpose for this. I know of no way to transplant dreams--influence them yes, but not to induce specific pictures to come into play. Curious though. It could be, though you hate to admit it, that you do have a gift for divination and prophecy. Admit to it or not, it is a possibility. But you're not one to go for prophecy--you've made yourself absolutely clear on that point many times before.  
  
"That's true." He growled between his teeth. "Oh, and the greatest difference is that in my dreams the body's always Georgie Flaing's. Precisely the same position and environment."  
  
"Now we're that's curious. How did you react--in your dream I mean?"  
  
"In my dream I screamed at another figure, My sister's dead, she's dead, you killed her." He met the old man's gaze. "No, I don't know what it means, of course the girl's not my sister, and I don't know whom exactly I was blaming for her death. I don't know who killed her. The other figure was made of shadows, but solid shadows. It was never anything that particularly bothered me as this was in comparison a very mild nightmare compared to ones in the past. At least I didn't wake up bleeding from self- inflicted wounds, so on the whole, I was somewhat grateful and I never took it very seriously." He lip curled maliciously.  
  
"Well, I take much more stock in people's dreams than you do, and I've found that there are reasons for everything, and this is a clearer indicator than many I've seen that there's something to your dream. You may choose to ignore this, but I cannot." He folded his hands into his lap in a characteristically Dumbledore action signaling that his mind was set.  
  
"Did you react in anyway to Georgie when you returned?"  
  
Severus sniffed and glowered. "I ordered her away and told her to leave me be and to go to her room." She retaliated with strong language and threw a book against the wall. Most immature of her, but it's hardly to be expected that I'd find her other than she is."  
  
Dumbledore was suddenly painfully aware that her sleeping chamber was a few paces away and it was possible that she might be overhearing this conversation.  
  
"Well, I'm afraid I don't know how to advise you on this beyond having dreamless sleep. If you're positive that Voldemort's not behind this, you may allow these dreams to continue, if you so wish. For all we know it might be a natural dream, even if it is prophetic. And I doubt you'd be open to any further advice from me at this point." Albus rose to his feet and towered above the still sitting man. "I believe that the rest of the details you can etch out and get to me by noon tomorrow. But I believe that the best thing for you right now is to drink what Miss Flaing's made up for you and try and get some sleep. Consider that an order, Professor." His eyes twinkled behind his stoic exterior. "Get some sleep Severus. Try at the very least."  
  
Snape looked up and considered the man for a moment, then looked away. Dumbledore seized this opportunity to escape the icy feeling of the room. He wound his way directly up to his own rooms.  
  
The Headmaster reflected on the Severus he left down in the dungeons. Snape never was one to handle some of the softer-magics: He scoffed at Divination and Illusions. But it was a curious effect it left on him, when such a situation was thrust upon him. It was almost a relief to see that he was puzzled over the occurrence, that he did indeed let his guard down in the sanctum of his rooms to wonder and worry. Very human and a great relief.  
  
This might turn out to be nothing, or to be something. And if Albus Dumbledore was a betting man--which as a matter of fact he was--he'd put his money on this all turning into something.  
  
Georgie spent all day Saturday inside the dungeons and the Common Room on account of the rain. She and Siobhan practiced with the throwing knives with a neat little target Sirius had somehow procured for them. The idly chatted as the launched the weapons with force into the opposite wall out in the quiet hallway. It was a bit like playing darts in a pub, Siobhan had joked.  
  
"Wait, you mean Niamh's gone home for the weekend? That's not allowed is it?" Georgie paused only momentarily in her game.  
  
"No, it's not allowed. Say for instance, I tried to go visit somewhere-- completely out of bounds."  
  
"So?" Georgie prompted  
  
"So...." She squinted as she aimed. "So, I flipping don't know why. She won't say. I generally jump to conclusions when she won't say. Those conclusions are generally having to do with a certain Defense Against the Dark Arts professor and nine times out of ten I'm right." She huffed as she snapped her arm down.  
  
"Well, it's not as if she's with him though...." Georgie really hadn't the foggiest about rules, but figured that that would be very much taboo.  
  
"No, he's here I believe. I'll find out when she comes back. Niamh's pathetically sensitive. She won't tell me of her ventures in the case that it fails--you know, to save face and all." She walked to the wall and yanked out the knife from the far-left side of the target. "She's a silly little fool."  
  
Georgie didn't know what to say as Niamh was her friend as well and all, but sisters did argue--at least she'd been told so by Severus. Neither of them had had sisters so they could only guess at the two girls' behavior at times.  
  
Siobhan leaned against the wall behind the standing figure of Georgie. Siobhan sighed as she slowly sank to the ground and stretched her legs out before her, blocking off the entire corridor from other use. "Where's Snape?"  
  
Georgie squinted just as Siobhan had done, then spoke out of the corner of her mouth. "He said something-or-other about going into town--needed something, blah blah, don't burn down the castle whilst I'm away...."  
  
Siobhan snorted. "You going to miss him when you're gone next year?"  
  
"Oh course I'll miss him. I won't have anyone to torture just at hand if I'm off leaning a trade or tending to some stupid shop."  
  
"You could stick around...."  
  
Georgie's eyes flashed dangerously. "What? As Hagrid's helper or as Filch's? Unless you've heard something I haven't, there aren't any positions open here at Hogwarts." She grated her teeth and smoothed her robes in annoyance as she retrieved her knives from the floor where they'd fallen.  
  
"Definitely not as Hagrid's helper..." Siobhan whistled lightly. "You could help Pince or something? Library science or something. Or else be a sort of an understudy to a teacher already here."  
  
"No, if these Professors had need of extra help they'd have gotten it in someone else long before now." She snarled, then softened her tone. "Not that it's not appreciated."  
  
"So what'll you do?"  
  
"Dunno. It's odd to have to choose every single year where you'll be. Sometimes I wonder if I will never have a true home and stay still long enough to keep my friends." She cast a glance back at her friend. "No worries though, I'll not ignore you. More like you'll not be able to lose me."  
  
"You're lucky. I'd give anything to be graduating this year. I can't wait to see the world, to get a brill job--maybe with the Ministry--be my own person."  
  
"Ah, but when you're at that point you'll wish you were back in your carefree school days. No stress, no big decisions, no rent to pay...."  
  
"You make it sound all bad." Siobhan accused.  
  
"It's not all bad--just different, that's all," Georgie plopped down next to her. "Listen, Cailin Rua, I'll visit you next winter if I can't see you during the rest of the term." She softened the conversation by using Siobhan and Niamh's mutual nickname.  
  
Georgie squinted off into space and when the other girl didn't speak right away, she prodded, "What are ya thinking about?"  
  
Siobhan smirked, "I was thinking whether Snape's going to be a huge ol' arse again when ya leave. You had a sobering effect on him--I know, I've been here for years. He used to be right nasty--hell, still is. Nasty and cranky and mean and rude and cruel. Not so cruel now that I know him more, but still. I think he'll change back to his old disgusting self when ya go, and that will be the end of it. I suppose that means if I want a chance to do something really naughty like tack up McGonagall's knickers to the door of the Great Hall I ought to do it soon." She paused long enough to examine her nails and pick at them a bit.  
  
"True pity though. He'll be prolly despondent now--as if he had a good time, now's gone, so now he'll be sour grapes incarnate and be a wretched monster borne of hell or something. Sort of like, he knows what he's missing so he'll be a million times worse now. He'll take out his aggression and frustration on poor little Slytherins and......"  
  
Siobhan sought Georgie's face and broke off mid-sentence in confusion. Georgie had a look of intense shock and embarrassment on her face as she stared hard at something just over Siobhan's own shoulder.  
  
"Shit," she whispered. "He's behind me now, isn't he?"  
  
Georgie nodded slowly and swallowed hard. It took great effort not to laugh. Only out of duty to both of her friends did she not break down and laugh at the sight of them both.  
  
Siobhan turned slowly around and looked nearly full up to smile sickly at her Potions Professor. "Hullo Professor."  
  
"Do you know," he purred. "I, in all honesty, have great difficulty trying to figure out one 'poor little Slytherin' as you say. Who would that be exactly? Enlighten me."  
  
"Just a figure of speech."  
  
"Oh of course," He simpered and smiled sickly at her. Siobhan flushed deeply and Georgie bit her lip in an effort not to laugh at her poor friend. No, this won't do......  
  
Georgie raised her hand in the air, as if she were trying to answer a question posed in class. "Ooo, ooo I've got a question."  
  
Severus turned his cold gaze on her now quirking one eyebrow up in amusement. "What now?"  
  
She put her hand down. "What I don't comprehend is why if you bothered to get a hair cut, why not pay the extra Sickles and treat yourself to a wash as well? And you can barely tell you got anything done at all. It's still shoulder-length and limp and horrifically out of date--dear, do you try and look so passe?" She indicated to his hair, which Georgie had noticed to be several inches shorter than it had been that morning. "I mean, and why at all? All dressed up and no place to go and all that--nor reason for any of it. Why not get it all loped off at once you know--look a bit like Potter or something. The messy look is in. It's sort of a rock musician style I've heard it called."  
  
"Enough!" He screamed. "You imbecile." He reached down to lift Georgie up to her feet by her elbow taking care to watch a small bag tied off in his hand and Georgie's knives in her own. "You are a bad influence on Miss Malone here obviously." Was he serious? He seemed slightly perturbed, as he indicated the bewildered Siobhan to her feet. Georgie eyed the bag curiously and tried to catch his eye.  
  
"I really don't know if it's wise to have the two of you spending so much unsupervised time together."  
  
"Unsupervised?" Georgie checked herself from sounding demanding.  
  
"Yes," He hissed. "You'll start getting unhealthy ideas about being lazy and dawdle about in public places speaking maliciously and forgetting your meager place in life, in this school and most importantly in my opinion." He led both girls back into Slytherin territory.  
  
"Off you go to your own dormitory." He pushed Siobhan away curtly then grabbed Georgie's elbow once again and they ducked inside the lounge.  
  
"You're right: we shouldn't have been sitting out there gossiping for the whole world to see. Alright? You scared the hell out of her I'd wager though. But really Fuck you. Unsupervised?" She waged her finger at him in an effort to try and be funny, but it didn't come out that way. She let lines of worry work their way onto her brow. "You're not too upset are you?"  
  
"No, I'm not upset." She let out her breath audibly, making him almost smile. "But really, you can't tell her that." She stared at him--he seemed to be reading her mind. She was just about to go out and calm Siobhan down and tell her he wasn't really upset--how funny.  
  
"It's alright if you joke at my expense, you'll leave here in a short time. Besides we are something different to each other. But I will have her in my classes for the next two years. If I lose her respect or she starts to not take me and my threats seriously, then I've lost her." And beyond that, if they cannot deal with me, then the real world will eat them alive.  
  
"Is that because she's a student or a Slytherin especially?"  
  
His eyes flickered at her, "It's because she's a student. It's especially important because she's a Slytherin."  
  
"God bless us, each and every one..." Georgie affected a high-pitched singsong voice.  
  
He ran his hand through his hair and frowned. She could see his thoughts racing--he'd been used to his hair being longer and was taken aback for just a moment, but quickly recovered.  
  
"Extraordinary thing happened last night." He caught her eyes a brief moment before seating himself. "At close to dawn, I hear a peculiar noise come from the foot of my bed. Naturally I'm not of the trusting disposition that would dismiss the noise as 'old-floors' or even 'just a ghost' or something to that tune. No, can you guess what monster I discovered as I leapt up to blast it to oblivion with my wand."  
  
"At least you were quick with your wand, shows you're cautious." She muttered dryly.  
  
"Didn't answer my question." His tone took on the teaching edge.  
  
"Haven't the foggiest."  
  
"Lovely." He smiled sarcastically. "It was Marco Polo."  
  
"Oh!" Georgie's eyes flew open.  
  
"Again. He was eating pages from a book I'd set aside."  
  
"But he likes you! I can't figure out how he gets out. I securely shut the door and he ends up out in the lounge or your rooms. I don't know how." She explained. "He likes you though. Don't know why..."  
  
"Nor do I. But that is beside the point. I unfortunately don't know what to do about him. I thought to suggest a leash of sorts...." He looked at her face horror-stricken, "But I guessed you'd be as warm to the idea. Perhaps a bell around his neck?"  
  
"Marco Polo is not a cat." Georgie angrily defied him.  
  
"Oh, but yes he is. He lies about the entire day before the fire. He goes where he chooses to go and Merlin forbid if you try and relocate him. He eats and sleeps and that is all. No tricks, no entertainment, no real use or value. You should get rid of him."  
  
"You're nasty. Marco Polo isn't going anywhere. He's a wonderful dear to me."  
  
This was like having an intelligent argument with the brick wall. "No, he's not being wonderful to you." He snarled. "It's a ridiculous reptile. He's not concerned one whit about how your day went, your feelings are unimportant. All he cares for is his warm place by the fire and bit of greens for dinner. That's all. He's a parasite, not a pet. You imagine things."  
  
"I do not. Marco Polo recognizes me, and if I feel low he drags his little self over to sit by me and gets petted. He's a dear comfort and he listens to my ramblings. He's wonderful and a sweet little friend."  
  
"I can't believe you think that." He was on his feet and pacing back behind the couches, arms flailing dangerously. "I thought you had more reason than that--to be duped by an inferior beast. A reptile that no more cares for you than it does the bookcase. The only distinction between you and it for him must be the bookcase is thankfully more silent."  
  
"He's not a reptile, you twit! He's an amphibian. And you certainly couldn't understand the whole concept of having a pet. It's like therapy: you care for something smaller and frailer than yourself. It gives you a sense of worth and importance by doing well. And so the bloody hell what if I imagine he listens to me and understands! Sometimes all I would like would be someone to just listen to me and not talk back. To not make me feel stupid or naive, someone to just sit there and smile dumbly up at me as if to say, 'see, we dumb creatures have to stick together' and 'it's not so bad' and things. I need to hear nothing to hear myself say everything's fine." She was shaking now and clearly close to being out of control. "What the hell's the matter with you?"  
  
She turned and stalked heavily out of the room shutting the door as lightly behind her as possible under the circumstances, growling "Fuck you" under her breath.  
  
"What happened back there?" He slowed into the slow calculated steps she was taking. He had followed her out of the castle minutes later and found her nearly tiptoeing along a hedge by the boathouse. It was still drizzling down and there was a mist rising up from the lake, drifting above it like low-flying clouds.  
  
She sighed and avoided eye contact. "Sometimes I think I'm going mad. Really mad, for real. Like, lock-me-up sort of nutters."  
  
"You're not going mad." He said patiently.  
  
"You don't know that."  
  
He shrugged. "Fine, you're going mad. What do you want me to do about it? I can pack you of to St. Mungo's or I can pack you off to St. Mungo's? Why do you want to be there? Personally I'd rather be in Azkaban than down there..."  
  
"I don't want to be anyplace. I just can't stop thinking things."  
  
"Care to elaborate."  
  
She let the rain fall on her face undisturbed for a minute. "You know how if you foul up really big, something embarrassing, you get that replay in your mind all the time? You can't help but think about what a fool you were, how silly you must've looked. It haunts your days, and makes it so you can't sleep without a feeling of overwhelming shame."  
  
She paused and looked at him properly, perhaps for the first time that day. "Your haircut suits you." Then looking away, "Perhaps you haven't had that experience."  
  
"Rubbish, of course I have. Don't think so inhumanly of me."  
  
She attempted a smile. "It's like that.... except...." She bit her lip.  
  
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Except you didn't trip over the metaphoric banana peel and get laughed at by your entire class. It's something else."  
  
"Yes, something...."  
  
Infuriating woman, he sought out a low stone bench near a pathway and led her towards it. They sat down, "What haunts you during the day then?"  
  
"I feel ashamed."  
  
"Of what?" He was certainly startled.  
  
"All the time."  
  
"Of what? What did you do then?" Why must she be so cryptic?  
  
"Me?" She shrank back from him as if he were on fire. "I didn't do a thing. That's part of it."  
  
"I believe I'm starting to see where you're going now...." He bent his angular head and scratched at the back of his neck. "You're meaning about the..." He couldn't bring himself to say it outright. Of all the subjects in the world, what had happened was as unapproachable a topic as a forbiddance could get.  
  
She nodded to him and looked in the opposite direction, far over her shoulder towards the dark forest. The mist over in that direction stood like a curtain obscuring all but the first few signs of underbrush and tree trunks. She wondered what the creatures of the woods did on slippery days like these.  
  
"Well, we never really.... Well, we haven't ever really talked about that incident." He swallowed shortly. "I thought it best to not bring up painful things." If she wasn't so preoccupied she would have laughed heartily at Severus' discomposure.  
  
"That's good of you." She spoke to him while staring in the complete opposite direction. "It's just that I think I'm going out of my mind. I can't get things out of my head and, no one will acknowledge that it even happened--and I know everyone's just trying to keep me from breaking down and crying like a child. I just don't know what will help me. I think about things all of the time. In classes, during meals--especially before I try and sleep. It's insane. Maybe there isn't a way to stop this way of thinking. I think it'd be quite all right if there wasn't."  
  
He leaned forward over himself. "I've always found that if there were a cure-all for memories such as those, then it would be far too easy. Things that are too easy worry me. I don't trust them. At least one thing is very sure in this life: that things will be hard." He breathed deeply next to her on the bench, watching his own breath curl away like smoke through the rain. "I know people always say that it'll make you tougher or a more rounded-individual, but I haven't seen anything of that in every case. Some people break under pressures, sometimes there is no easy way out and sometimes things aren't fair and they hurt."  
  
"Why bother than?"  
  
"Age old question."  
  
"So?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
She nodded. "Me neither. I figure I know in my heart it's not the end of things, it's just awful hard at times. I feel so low and tired and sick of things all the times. And not being able to control thought and images, it's like living in a nightmare where I'm not asleep. Queer and sad."  
  
"Since there's not much we can do, what are your plans?" He took her a bit more seriously this time. "You could get, er, professional help if you felt so inclined."  
  
She burst out in boisterous laughter, which surprised him. "I know I am mad, and you know I'm mad, but I'd have a time of trying to really convince someone else, I'm afraid."  
  
He nodded and she faced him, setting her hands on her knees determinedly. "Nothing to do about it. It's life, it just throws things like this. You just cope and mend the best you can. I've had practice." She tacked on dryly. "I daresay we've all had far too much practice with it."  
  
He could only imagine. "Well, I'm here. If you need abuse, arguments, banter or sarcasm---you do know where to find me."  
  
"Oh yes, sorry about all this. I venture that that won't be the last you'll see of my deranged behavior. 'Inner demons trying to get out' and all." It was a running joke between them now.  
  
"Nothing to it." He mussed her hair up with a look of seriousness on his face. "Siobhan's right: I have changed."  
  
"Glad you hear it. I thought for a while you were blind."  
  
"Touché."  
  
"So what'll you do?"  
  
"With what?"  
  
"Being an angel or an ogre."  
  
"Oh that. The inevitable."  
  
"Which is?" She laughed at his style of vagueness.  
  
"Ogre of course. I relish the looks on First Years' faces after having wet themselves when I sneak up on them. I offer no apologies for my behavior and I won't change." He smirked devilishly.  
  
"Didn't want an apology. Why be other than yourself?"  
  
"Enlighten me as to why we are sitting outside in the rain."  
  
"I was trying to get myself committed. Why you are--I haven't a clue. Perhaps deep down you'd really like to test out those padded walls."  
  
He got to his feet. "As long as I am not subject to the bedside manner of one Mediwitch in training by the name of George."  
  
"I'm not that bad though!" She haughtily stood before him, trying to look taller than she was. "At least I don't think I am." She pretended to be considering whether she was or not and she looked down and bit her lip anxiously.  
  
"You're wretched and no real good at it, might as well give it up." He sneered sardonically at her and his black eyes twinkled behind his expressionless façade.  
  
"Yeah, I was thinking that," she snarled back at him with feeling.  
  
"I however was thinking that I'd better keep an eye on you." His lips were a thin line of seriousness and he was watching her singularly.  
  
"Thanks but no thanks." She bit her tongue just as she was about to protest that she could fend for herself. Severus guessed as much and a wicked, 'I- told-you-so' smirk spread across his features. "Anyhow, I'd like to see you try. I'm not an easy person to follow." In more ways than one, he checked himself from smarting off at her.  
  
She burped. "I'd feel so much better once I'm inside with a bit of soda in me." He said nothing until they were both in the kitchens.  
  
She came around behind him to sit back down in her own well-worn and apparently bashed-in chair. She hesitated at Severus' back and lifted a strand of limp black hair. "That's what I don't understand."  
  
He looked at her with clear eyes. "My hair is fine--leave it be."  
  
"Your hair's fine. I meant why did you have to go into town to get a haircut when you could just do it here--or I could. The spell's easy enough for babies to cast, just take a mirror and aim... it's so silly. I suppose it has more to do with what you brought back with you in that bag."  
  
"How perceptive of you. I suppose it does."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"A surprise."  
  
"You're evil."  
  
"Everyday. Ah, but you've known that."  
  
She belched loudly and Severus cringed inwardly. "So about Marco Polo. What'll you do with him once you've left Hogwarts?"  
  
"Well, I've decided I'm going to get a flat in London. Well, first I'm visiting family, then I'm getting my own flat. Then I'm going to get a job there. Marco Polo will have to get used to staying put I'm afraid or I'm packing him off to Aunt Sylvie's. She thinks it'd be great fun to take him on, but I'm not ready to give him to her just yet. He is my pet and he means something to me. I'd like to keep him close."  
  
"Keep your friends close..." He started.  
  
"How morose of you. Typical, lovely and sly Severus. You must visit me over the summer, or else you will feel the wrath of one very brassed off George swooping down upon you."  
  
He laughed out loud. "Oh yes, couldn't have that now, could we? Well, as I'm under threat of certain doom, I suppose I'll have to fit you in." She growled into the aluminium can.  
  
"On closer examination, I've decided St. Mungo's isn't the place for me. No I was thinking some sort of a Rehab facility."  
  
He frowned into his blisteringly-hot tea. "Why the devil would you want to go into Rehabilitation? You haven't anything to come clean off of."  
  
"Caffeine's addictive isn't it? Perhaps I could just show up and say I was addicted to stimulants and be all mysterious about it. Some of those places are really posh, you know. Swimming pools and things."  
  
"Oh yes, and that's reason enough to admit yourself to one of those places then? Have a fabulous time there."  
  
"Just thinking," she excused.  
  
"Somehow I highly doubt that."  
  
"I agree with the biscuit. The biscuit is wise." She turned over some lumpy, ginger-smelling monstrosity. One of the House Elves was experimenting again.  
  
"Is that your new way of changing the subject?"  
  
"You mean the biscuit doesn't speak to you?" She tossed one at him and he snatched it from the air. Her eyes remained glued on his hands. "You've got claws, ma dear."  
  
He was getting slowly more and more annoyed. "Well, Remus has fangs. I figured I didn't want to miss out on any of the excitement." He stiffly pulled himself up out of his chair. "It is now imperative that I go to my classroom and work on something. Come by if you feel so inclined, or don't if you do not." She smiled at him and nodded, well aware of the crumbs at the corner of her mouth.  
  
Severus wandered by himself down the ever-darkening corridors and stairways. He was in what only he alone could recognize as a good mood. He was making progress, yes, genuine progress. His potion to counteract the Blinding Hex was making some headway. Yes, he was in a good mood. But even he knew when to quit for the day. He would have to await further shipments from the Ministry or go back into town himself the next day.  
  
So he had broke off research for the day at an opportune moment, tidied up and joined the rest of the staff for a casual dinner. Georgie hadn't been there, but he wasn't about to call out any bloodhounds or tear apart the castle every time she missed a meal as Minerva had just tried to. No, he would have the good sense of mind to wait until she had missed two meals before he would resort to drastic measures.  
  
She wasn't in the Common Room or the lounge so Severus lit a tiny green- tinged fire in the fireplace and strode to his bedchambers in the darkness. His suite was quite minimalist in appearance, thus never the draw to be cluttered and disorganized here. It just wouldn't have fit. He sat at his desk and yanked at his robes as he made himself somewhat comfortable. He summoned a quill from a table across the room, followed by a bottle of ink and took out several sheets of parchment from the desk drawer.  
  
He scratched away for several minutes, concentrating on the task at hand and subconsciously he made a fire spring up in his poorly neglected fireplace when he felt the cold creep up around him. He paused and laid his quill aside for a stretch, allowing his mind and eyes to wander about the room. He stared hard at something catching his eye, something that didn't belong there. He rose and glided to one of his bookshelves. Here a bright purple paperback was wedged between a giant leather tome and a register of past ingredients ordered. He most certainly did not own any paperback books, especially a shockingly purple one. He slid it out into his hand, turning it over. The Re-Ordering of Time Made Simple. This wasn't his, and could safely wager a guess as to whom it did belong.  
  
His eyes instinctively went to his left arm, draped in the inaccessible black fabric. He knew it to be there, ugly, marring his flesh, looking up at him with dead eyes....permanent. No, the past was closed for himself, and he wondered what she could have in mind with such a book--such a rather potentially dangerous book, judging by the ideas and theories presented in it. He doubted Georgie would be foolhardy enough to attempt to mix Muggle concrete sciences with her shoddy Magical Theories.  
  
He returned with the thing to his desk, where he set it aside with a mind to either burn it or return it the next day.  
  
Time flew by so quickly, Georgie felt like she was left grappling for the end of a cord being whisked out of her hands. Her birthday came and went and she begged Severus to not make a big thing out of it and he for once honored her wishes, as he secretly couldn't be bothered to make up a cake or anything else equally foolish. They stayed in and played cards with Remus and she suspected that they both allowed her to win. Ordinarily she'd have protested, but she was in too fine of spirits to cause a rift.  
  
She was extraordinarily abusive of Severus but he just bit his tongue and tried for her sake to be civil. Severus hated card games of any kind to begin with, and knowing this, she almost brought herself to return the favor of courtesy. It was the sort of evening Georgie loved best, quiet and with good company and conversation. When they had tired of playing cards and ascertained that the night was still young, Georgie produced her musical instrument and Remus sat beside her and sang. Georgie simpered happily to herself, knowing Severus would infinitely appreciate his voice over her own.  
  
Black is the colour of my true loves hair Her lips are like some rose fair She has the sweetest smile and the gentlest hands Oh I love the ground whereon she stands.  
  
I love my love and well she knows I love the ground whereon she goes I wish the day it soon might come When she and I might be as one.  
  
I'll go to the Clyde and mourn and weep Where satisfied I ne'er shall be Write her a letter, just a few short lines And suffer death 10,000 times.  
  
Severus returned into the room with a bottle of wine in his hand. "Where ever did you learn that one?" He looked slightly amazed.  
  
Georgie looked at Remus then back to herself, "Who're you asking?" Pointing to herself then back to Remus.  
  
He seated himself before answering, "Both of you."  
  
Georgie shrugged, "Siobhan taught me one afternoon when we had a window together. She's taught me heaps more like it. Lotsa older stuffs."  
  
Remus flushed, "Yes, I learned the song from the twins. As well."  
  
Georgie checked herself from asking which twin. Instead she smirked and stuck out her tongue at Snape. "Do you know it?"  
  
"Yes, it's an old song."  
  
"Old like you?" Georgie shot back.  
  
"Even older than me, I'm afraid." He bantered. "I used to know someone who tried to teach me that song. I couldn't be bothered to slow down long enough to learn it."  
  
Remus nodded in understanding. Georgie felt confused; always some inside joke.... "Who?"  
  
Severus' face unconcernedly fell and he took no effort to hide it. "No matter, they're no longer about."  
  
"Cryptic, but I'll take the cue." She laughed. She played a song and allowed Remus to sing beside the fire and Severus to just stare at them both over his goblet-rim. She vaguely remembered something someone had said at Severus' house--something about an old flame or something. Was it Andrew who had said it? She couldn't remember--her brain was too jumbled.  
  
When the song finished, she hastily got to her feet and set aside the guitar. "I have to get outside, I think I'm goin' balmy. I'm too cooped up and suffocated. Going for a walk." She headed for the door. "Don't say anything interesting while I'm out." She didn't wait for a response or even a protest, but grabbed at her cloak and ran for the nearest exit.  
  
Right upon stepping out into the night air, she wished she'd grabbed up a heavier cloak or a hat or a scarf or something, sure it was Spring, but it was also an unseasonably cool and wet Spring, and she wasn't fond of catching colds or sniffles.  
  
"Impulsive me...brrr." She stepped off the walkway and onto the grass. She wouldn't go as far as the lake because she just knew that as soon as she got there she'd be frozen through and would be miserable all during the trek back up the castle. The grass was slick and she took smaller steps and lifted her eyes to the magnificent skies. Careful not to fall or dirty her robes too much she clambered over to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and walked half in, half out of underbrush.  
  
She sat down on a very low small, flat stone hidden off in the shadows. She wasn't by Hagrid's place, the castle with it's prying eyes, or anything else. Here she was sure to be left alone. The sky was a brilliant dark blue and the stars shone like pinpricks in fabric. She remembered imagining a giant overturned bowl here once before...and perhaps it all really was a giant breakfast bowl....She giggled and scratched at her nose. Where's the cereal then? Are we the cereal?  
  
She dug with her toe into the loose earth and watched her breath blow away on the cool air.....A twig snapped off to her right several yards off making her clutch her wand in her pocket and crouch in silence, her senses on alert.  
  
Severus came into view, and she relaxed. "You're supposed to be a silent stalker, Severus."  
  
"I did that for your sake. Rather for your nerves' sake." He stood a few feet away and looked down at her. "Aren't you cold?"  
  
"Yes, but I've read you burn your flabby bits faster in the cold than in the warm, so I reckon if I take up residence in Greenland I'll be thin by Autumn." He didn't respond for a moment, then looked towards the feeble light still shining from the castle windows. "Remus had to leave to finish grading papers. Said he'd see you tomorrow."  
  
"That's too bad." She said unemotionally.  
  
"Could you stand up for a moment?" He shot a sidelong glance at her.  
  
"Why?" She asked fidgeting to her feet. "I like wallowing in the mud."  
  
"I would feel better doing this in a dignified and normal way."  
  
"Doing what?" She asked excitedly. He had obviously piqued her interest.  
  
"Could you shut your mouth for just a minute please?" He growled. "I got you a present."  
  
"You didn't have to. I didn't get you a present on your birthday and I said- -"  
  
"Shut-up." He took something from own of his numerous pockets. He laid a tiny wooden box into her hand and closed her fingers around it.  
  
"What is it?" She asked, peering down her nose at it.  
  
"Why don't you stop being daft and open it to find out."  
  
She shot him a very annoyed look. She fumbled with the clasp of the lid. "You really didn't have to get me anything you know, company is enough for me, you know." She swore as the lid sprung open and caught at her finger.  
  
"Oh my god, Severus...." she hissed in an awed whisper. "I really can't accept this." She lifted a golden chain from out of the box and lifted it up so she could examine what looked to be a huge rock set on it. "What is it?"  
  
"A necklace."  
  
"My God, is that thing real?!" She screeched as the muted light from the far-off castle reflected at last on the stone and sent a tinge of green sparking on their robes huddled around it.  
  
"It's real, and I'm insulted you would even ask." He lifted the necklace with it's emerald up and out of her hands. He found the clasp with his dexterous fingers and turned Georgie away and around from him and flipped it over her head then quickly fastened it closed.  
  
When she came to her senses she whirled on him, "Severus I really can't accept this. This is the nicest thing anyone's ever gotten me, but good Lord, you can't really afford to give this and it's just too much, and I'm such a fool, I'll probably drop it down the drains and really, it's appreciated but I can't, I just can't." She frowned and scratched at her arm.  
  
He slapped her hands away meanly. "It's been in the family for years-- centuries In fact--and yes I could afford it, and I trust that you'll not lose it down the drain, and yes you are taking it. My finances, I'll have you know, are in quite excellent shape, not that it's any of your business. It has a charm on it and I'd prefer you to have it and to wear it."  
  
"What charm?" She bit her lip anxiously; no she wasn't warming to it. It really was too much and it wasn't really in her style, but a charm...  
  
"Can't tell you."  
  
"Oh just fab." She rolled her eyes. "You joking?"  
  
"No." His eyes gleamed down at her. "But it's very powerful."  
  
"I hate you, and even worse--I hate myself."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I like it," She burst out laughing embarrassedly. "I feel like a million pounds."  
  
"It's not worth that." He replied dryly.  
  
"I couldn't handle it if it were." She looked him in the eye and smiled shyly. "Thank you very much. I'm touched and well, honored too I guess. Thank you."  
  
He shrugged. And looked away, but she wouldn't let him. She pounced on him, giving him a fierce hug, shaking and twisting him roughly about where he stood, nearly trying to uproot the man from the spot in which he stood. He allowed her to do this for a minute before wrenching her arms off of him, chuckling a little under his breath. "You're an odd one."  
  
"Me?" She snorted, "You give expensive, simply massive ancient charmed jewels for birthday presents to a mere friend. You're mad."  
  
She tried to steal a glance at her watch in the darkness, but she couldn't make out anything at all. "Was I out here for very long?"  
  
"No, not very long."  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
"I don't know why you bother to ask that. It's a preliminary you'd throw out the window in a heartbeat if it suited you. Obstinate, headstrong nosy girl." She flinched at that description.  
  
"Anyway, can you tell me who you and Remus were referring to--you're old acquaintance I mean? Who was it?"  
  
He frowned deeply and drew a deep breath, "I can't tell you right now; my apologize, but I do have my reasons."  
  
"I'm okay with that if you don't want to tell me. Do know that I think I know who it was all the same."  
  
"Quite possible. I will tell you someday, just not today." She nodded. "Shouldn't we be heading back? We do have classes in the morning."  
  
He took a step in the direction of the castle to indicate that he thought it was a good idea. She tucked the necklace under her robes--that would take some getting used to. Jewelry like that wasn't her normal thing.  
  
She paced herself and caught up with Snape, "I'm not a mere girl." She huffed, and she leapt onto his back taking him down to the ground in surprise.  
  
Severus rolled and sent her flying several feet backward onto the wet grass, landing on her back and laughing it off. "Incriminating that you didn't negate the 'nosy, headstrong or obstinate' descriptions." She was on her knees above him before the sentence was out of his mouth.  
  
"You're getting old, Severus!" She teased as she flipped him on his back, he log-rolling just out her reach.  
  
"Not quite that old, girl!" He raised his wand at her and she flew out of the way, dodging the spray of sparks narrowly.  
  
Out of breath she shrieked, "Oh, so it's come to this has it!" She slipped her wand out, "If I murder you, you'll have no one to blame but yourself." She sent a stun in his direction, but he blocked it. "Damn," she muttered. She leapt closer to him, as he waited in his open stance. At such close quarters, it was difficult to use one's wand and it was preferential to fight physically. It was in this area only that Georgie had a chance at besting him.  
  
"Why should I blame myself?" he snatched at her arm, as she came within his range, whirling her around his back and pinning her lightly to the ground. "Beside, you still have to murder me first."  
  
She swept his legs out from under him, but he regained his balance quickly. But she took that short opportunity to twist all the way around on the cold ground towards his open-handed side and strain his arm that held her in his fast grip. "I could have murdered you since day one!"  
  
He writhed as his arm twisted unnaturally, yanking her back sharply towards his person. "For no good reason, no doubt. Still, I have precautions set up around me. You however take no such measures."  
  
She leaned back onto her back and lifted her feet into the air to deliver a double kick into his back causing him to crumple down to his knees.  
  
"Just because I'm not a paranoid, delusional neurotic, doesn't mean I don't know how to look after myself." Still grasping his arm, as he grasped her arm in turn, she raised herself so she was facing his back, then dove onto the broad black robed surface, forcing him to double over upon himself.  
  
"Everything you know, I've taught you." He crouched down and vaulted back over her entire body, sort of flipping over and down into a position standing directly behind her.  
  
"Impressive," she allowed. "If so then you've created a monster, haven't you Doctor Frankenstein." She stepped back into his chest and wrenched his arm down below her knees making Severus buckle, down over her shoulder. "Plus I'm insulted that you think I don't know a few things by my own rights." She elbowed him a bit harder than she'd intended in the stomach, and followed that with a blow to his chest just below his neck. He doubled over, with a low "Oof."  
  
He grabbed his stomach and sank to his knees, his whole body tense. Georgie let go of his arm and spun around to watch him crumble down. "Oh my gosh, Sev....." She started, then stopped. She hadn't meant to, really she hadn't. She bowed over him and took hold of both of his shoulders with her hands, kneeling gently to lower herself to his eye-level. "Sev, listen, I'm sorry, I didn't--"  
  
Her hands suddenly weren't on his shoulders, but instead he had taken them both up in one of his and thrown her to the ground in front of himself. He knelt and drew himself up in that position, grinning maniacally at her. One of his hands pinned her hands--both of them--above her head. He planted his free hand beside her head and leaned over her. "I hate being called Sev. Black always calls me Sev." He could not stand Sirius Black, tolerate him yes--but he really did loathe him nearly all of the rest of the time.  
  
She snorted, but was still enraged, and wouldn't let him go that easily. She wriggled beneath his strength, but even her legs were ineffectual as they were stuck beneath one of his legs. "I really don't like you." She hissed.  
  
"That was a perfect example of the difference between you and I."  
  
"What? That you're a cheating, rotten, sneaky bastard, or did I miss something else?" She was breathing hard now.  
  
"No, that you put your guard down. You never put your guard down, until the enemy is incapacitated or out of the picture."  
  
"But you're not the enemy!" She bellowed as she wriggling even more, as the cold and damp of the earth prickled her neck.  
  
"But I could have been," He leaned over her and his eyes glittered. "No compassion on the battlefield. You are neither judge nor jury. You're one objective is to bring down the enemy, then get out."  
  
"Oh, hush up, you big prat. "I'm sick to death of you're trying to teach me lessons! You're my friend, and this isn't the battlefield. Of course I'm going to check to make sure that my friend is alright, you idiot." She freed one of her legs and brought a knee up to her chin. "You can't change the rules on me halfway through the game." She planted her shoe squarely on his chest and hefted him off of her and to his feet. She struggled up, using her hand to steady herself, "Less than graceful." He commented on her rising, thus she answered by mustering up her remaining strength to send a vicious kick to his right knee, "Tosser." He snarled and looked up at her, his eyes flashing with sheer anger. But he didn't frighten her anymore.  
  
Georgie haughtily brushed off bits of grass and damp where she could, then gave up. Shaking out her arms, and cocking her head to the castle, she posed to him, "So are to be my enemy or my friend: for once and for all, make the decision." He raised his wand and a jet shot out encompassing her. She couldn't react though--her whole body was like lifted up like a rag-doll and she felt as if her very muscles were ripping off of her bones. She closed her eyes in vain and screamed out in pain at the Stretching and the Binding spells used at the same time on her.  
  
"Friend." He spoke tight-lipped. "I've had enough of enemies." The spell ceased as quickly as it had began and Georgie fell the few feet down to the ground. She heaved deep breaths, then straightened herself out, smoothing her clothing beneath her palms. She would look the part of grace under fire to him, no matter what. But she just couldn't no matter how she struggled right then--she burst out in raucous laughter and snorted and twittered and choked. "Sorry, it's just too much--we're just too damn weird!" He straightened up to his full height next to her.  
  
She bit at her nails lightly as she struggled to bring herself under control, and he slapped at her hands to get them away from her mouth. "I'm cold," She grumbled defiantly and lead the way back. As they came closer to the castle, she piped up, "Uh, Severus you've got a bit of grass in your hair."  
  
He ran his hand through it, and shook his head. "Gone?" He sounded disinterested.  
  
"Uh, not. It's just a bit...right there." She bit her lip as he batted around it. "No, still there."  
  
"This is ludicrous." He roared at her. "Just yank it out, will you. Stop sidestepping around."  
  
"You want me to get it?" She asked, slightly squeamishly, and the tone wasn't lost on him.  
  
He sneered at her, obviously hurt. "No, I'll take care of it inside."  
  
Georgie was quick though, "Never mind, I'll get it." She reached up above her head and swiped at the flecks of grass and worked the blades out. "There, now you look presentable."  
  
He choked, "Presentable? To what?"  
  
"Just a figure of speech, you look fab no matter what. Mah-velous." She stopped herself from getting carried away there. She didn't want to burn in hell over any lies she told to Severus Snape now did she? And he still was sallow-skinned, and greasy-haired and colorless in all senses, she had just trained herself to look beyond that when possible.  
  
"You're a little fool."  
  
"I'm not a little fool, I'm just shorter than you. Hell, half the world is smaller than you. Don't give yourself airs because you're taller than everyone else." She held the door for him to pass through and into the building. "Because that's all it is, I'm afraid. We're all horrible nobodies."  
  
"I don't make friends with nobodies, and I'll be dashed if someone considered me a nobody."  
  
"Analyze, analyze, analyze..." She scolded "You say it's my birthday!" She suddenly belted out in the Common Room. "It's my birthday too!" Snape grabbed her wrist and yanked her into the lounge.  
  
"Would you shut-up!" He looked at her wild-eyed after shutting the door securely behind him. "It's too late for that."  
  
"It's better when you're singing it with someone else, wanna have a go? You can sing the 'you say it's your birthday' bit, then I'll say the--"  
  
"I'm not joining you in some chant. I don't care whose birthday it is, I'm certainly not singing."  
  
"Question." She stated.  
  
Snape, walked around the back of the couch then seated himself comfortably in his usual spot before replying. "Go on." He looked haggard all of the sudden.  
  
She thought better of it, "No, never mind, I'll ask another time." He followed her with his eyes, disbelievingly.  
  
"Then would you consider answering one of mine?" He posed.  
  
"Gee, what is with tonight and this politeness and asking-before-asking rubbish?" She laughed.  
  
"You know who attacked you: who else was it?" Her face was stricken, and he almost regretted asking her in such an abrupt manner, but it was worse not knowing. He knew he directly couldn't do anything to a student, and even if she tried to accuse someone while they were still underage, they would receive lenient sentences....  
  
"I would tell you, truly I would--It's just, I have my own timing. And you'd eat yourself up over it and it'd be awful, watching you freak out over it, and you couldn't do anything now anyhow." She shivered suddenly at a recollection which she didn't share with him. "Dumbledore knows," Severus started at this--this was new information to him--"But he suggests I wait until the end of the year at least before bringing him before a jury."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know all of Dumbledore's reasons. But I don't want to have to deal with it anymore during this school term at least. Albus figures he might have a change of heart or something, might not be as bad as we all think...deserves second chances and all."  
  
"That's ridiculous."  
  
She fumed. "It was my decision to make ultimately. I don't mind being swayed by Dumbledore's council." She leaned back and closed her eyes, massaging her temples. "There's nothing I'd rather do than forgive and forget that it ever happened."  
  
"I cannot do that as easily."  
  
"Now you understand why I cannot tell you just yet." He glared at her. "I knew if I told you, you'd act on it. If you promise that you'd do nothing of the sort, then I'll tell you and I'll apologize for jumping to such a wrong conclusion." Severus remained silent and bore holes through her with his eyes. "See, there. Besides you have enough to worry about."  
  
"What if he tries it again?"  
  
"He can't, Dumbledore is keeping a close eye on this individual for the rest of the year." Severus knew it to be truthful enough. He himself was keeping an extra close eye on her as well. If only for the rest of the year--must mean he's graduating. He knew who that would have to be then. She had all but told him who it was, but he couldn't do anything substantial could he, without betraying her trust? But perhaps it would be worth it--for the better good of the school. Severus slowly ground his teeth and let out a long, slow hiss.  
  
"Anyway," She was obviously attempting to change the subject. "It's only a few more weeks. Quidditch coming up, testing, things to do, people to see and all that." She pointed out lightly.  
  
"Yes, I suppose you're right." He replied grudgingly at last. He really felt she was being foolish to allow an enemy his freedom--and at so close a distance. But perhaps it would work out for the best. Though in his experience it usually didn't.  
  
Georgie was kneeling before the table in the lounge squinting in the dying light of the day, trying to scratch out something on a long scrip of parchment. He breezed in, nodding at her as she paused to look up and smile at him before returning to her task at hand. "You'll ruin your eyes if you keep trying to read by this sorry light." He waved his hand and the candles and fireplace roared to life.  
  
"Ha, there you go--assuming everything. Giant ass. I'm not reading--I'm writing!"  
  
He snorted. "And that's better?" And he seated himself, setting his books in his lap.  
  
"Hey, Severus?" She didn't look up to him, but twirled her quill absently between her fingers. He could already spot an ink blotch on her finger. "What's your house called? I remember reading it somewhere or maybe you told me. Anyhow, I've forgotten."  
  
He allowed himself a smile. "It won't help you to figure out the island. It's not on your map."  
  
"I don't want to know for that reason." She looked up at him and met his eyes. "I want to know the name of your house. You've already said it, so if you could, would you just say it again?" She pleaded.  
  
"It has many names--old houses have that common trait--comes from various owners wishing to exercise their power or some such nonsense."  
  
"So which name did you call it when I heard it?"  
  
"Probably Darogan." He watched her for signs of recognition.  
  
"Um, could be." She shrugged and scratched something down.  
  
"What exactly are you doing?"  
  
"Writing the name down, you dolt."  
  
"Of course, but why?" He hissed.  
  
"So I won't forget it."  
  
He leaned back against the staunch cushions. "Why ever would you forget? And why would you care if you did so?"  
  
"Well, I'm thinking, this is the end of my year. Next year I may be in Timbuktu and after that who knows, ya know?" He smiled at her wording. "Anyway, I don't want to forget people and places and things fifty years from now, hence I'm writing it down."  
  
"That knowledge stands a better chance in your mind than on a piece of paper that you'll inevitably lose, burn, soak, tear, bury......"  
  
"Point taken." She laughed dryly. "What's a Daragon?" Georgie pronounced the name purposefully slowly.  
  
"Dar-O-gan," he corrected delicately. "Well, it's obviously my house." He wasn't about to surrender information so easily.  
  
"Thank you so very much." She said sarcastically.  
  
"You could try a journal or a diary to remember these things as they happen."  
  
"I could." She murmured without popping her head up. "It's a bit late now, isn't it?" She raised her gaze to his level. "What? You do that sort of thing?"  
  
"On occasion."  
  
"Hm, didn't peg you for the type."  
  
"And what type would that be?" His temper visibly fraying. He had had just about enough of her constant insinuating and analyzing of his person.  
  
"I dunno. Sensitive type?" She grinned at him teasingly.  
  
"Georgie, you see what pleases you rather than reality."  
  
"Not always," She allowed and dipped her quill down once more.  
  
"Yes, always." He frowned. His mind raced away from the present and he imagined possible dangers and situations that could stem from such a practice. But to her he replied only: "Always you do."  
  
"Peggin' me right back...." She laughed. "It's always hardest to fit onto the 'triangle-shaped pegs' I've found at least....." 


	25. Chapter Twenty Five Sanctuary

Chapter Twenty-Five -- Sanctuary  
  
Several evenings later Georgie was passing her hand round Severus Snape's calf with a roll of bandages in her hand. "You know..." She quipped to his deep dislike. He waited until he had his own appendage back in his sole possession before looking at her to indicate she continue. She took her time replacing the stoppers in shallow bottles and replacing them carefully in a cabinet in her own room.  
  
"You know.... I hadn't thought of it really, but you'll have to rely once again on Pomfrey next year. It's horrid to get you out of the habit then force you to go back to as it was before..." She rambled as she dug under the sofa for her wand which had rolled underneath when she had knocked it off the table a few minutes before. "It's not really fair, but it's one of those...what's it? 'Necessary evils', I suppose. Though it's not really evil at all, just an inconvenience--just a sort of annoyance. No, not evil. Evil isn't really necessary. Well it is, I guess, but not necessary- necessary. Just sort of, last resort sort of thing...."  
  
Severus watched his friend's quirky dialogue with amusement, always with amusement. He assumed that she sometimes forgot he was in the room. It was a bit of a stretch for him still. The fact that someone could forget his presence--that he didn't frighten her out of her senses--well, he was at least getting somewhat used to the fact. It didn't bother him as it once did. He no longer felt as if he were going soft, thanks in great part to Dumbledore's gentle hinting over the chessboard.  
  
Georgie prattled on, analyzing now whether mankind ("Or womankind for that matter") was inherently good or evil. A heavy and commonly mused topic for himself, but for Georgie she just talked to work things out in her mind. She would argue the sides of the issue with herself, tackle it from one direction then decide it was the wrong way to go about the issue that way, then start all over. Methodical, but at the same time very helter-skelter. Perhaps she could find a job with The Daily Prophet as some sort of social commentator, or some other such rubbish.  
  
The burn on his legs suddenly brought his attention back to the babbling before his eyes.  
  
She paused as she had obviously stumped herself and was scratching at the back of her head absent-mindedly. Severus sighed, "Always burns for me. If I were superstitious I would find something to that."  
  
Her eyes widened. "Of course you would, Trewlaney. Burns, burn la da. Shouldn't play with fire little boy." She wagged her finger at him in good fun. "Heat and flames and fires licking up at the souls of the damned, hell-fires perhaps? Are your robes singed? Oh dear, Mummy will fix that right up for you. Have you been playing fair with all the other little demons in your class? "  
  
His own eyes twinkled in response. He was no longer amazed, no longer angered--just very accustomed to her tangents in conversations. She was quick to pick up on things, one of the things he was grateful for--how could one live with someone who couldn't see the obvious nose in front of ones face! "I never play fair with anyone. You of all people should know that!"  
  
"Oh yes, I forgot." Looking quite as if she really had.  
  
The door flew open and banged against the wall and Georgie stormed into Snape's office. "I got a letter saying I was failing Potions and I needed to report to my House Head. What the devil are you playing at!" She leaned over the desk and snarled at the man, whose face was blank and expressionless, but whose lively eyes gave away his amusement.  
  
"Oh that. There must have been some mix-up; some accident." He steepled his fingers as he silkily explained.  
  
"It's wrong! You posted it on the board in the Common Room!" She hissed. "If this is your idea of a joke, it sure as hell isn't funny."  
  
"Of course it's not correct. It's just a mistake, so calm down." He leaned back further in his chair.  
  
"I cannot calm down!"  
  
"I personally think it's rather comical."  
  
She threw the letter across the desk and it hit him squarely across the chest. "I should have let you bleed to death a long time ago!" She bellowed and stormed from the room, slamming the door after her.  
  
"Peeves!" Severus got to his feet, "Peeves, I know you changed the marks-- you were in here as well last night when I was assigning marks." He opened first one cupboard than another. "You didn't leave; I know you're still here. You heard the witch--it's not funny."  
  
Peeves floated down from the ceiling where he'd been perched, "Nasty, nasty Professor Snape. Why would you think I would do that?" He poked a finger at Severus but Severus swatted at it before he made contact. Peeves the Poltergeist just grinned broader and cackled to himself. "Nasty, nasty Professor. Poor, poor Professor--getting yelled at by the girl. Poor, poor Professor."  
  
"Shut-up Peeves!" Severus roared.  
  
Peeves stopped speaking, but continued in his maniacal cackle and horrible faces. "If she allows me to bleed to death I will come back and make sure to remind you every single second that I am not pleased."  
  
Peeves stuck out his tongue and flipped on his head mid-air, wrenching Snape's grip around and loose before floating away. The Professor reminded himself to approach the Bloody Baron and ask him to speak to the little pest. Severus did have more clout with the pesky squat little ghost than the other Professors, but the Baron could patch things over immediately.  
  
"Severus!" Georgie wheeled into the room at a run, slamming into the front of his desk tensely. He looked up curiously to see who could have been chasing her. When satisfied that no mortal foe trailed her, he relaxed back into his chair much like he had earlier that day. He had a bit of finishing up and tidying up to do.....but this should prove to be rather amusing.......  
  
"What is it now?" he demanded shortly.  
  
"Get Peeves off of my ass!" She shrieked. He wasted no time in leaning forward across his desk and feigned looking for the poltergeist said to be haunting her posterior.  
  
"Snape!" She hissed through clenched fists, interrupting his playing. He resumed his seat and nodded at her to speak if she had something to say, noting with caution her white tense knuckles gripping the edge of his desk.  
  
"You told him to be nice to me? To 'become friends', to 'play nice', to make himself 'helpful to me'?"  
  
He didn't reply as he figured she didn't expect an answer to that, however he found he was mistaken. "Well did you!?" He was taken aback at the force of her words. "He won't leave me alone! I can't read or study because he's forever turning summersaults across my worktable...He bloody flew into my shower while I was in there to ask if I need assistance with the soap! Everyone's avoiding me like the plague. I am not amused and you have to fix this right now!"  
  
"Oh do I?" He couldn't stop himself from slipping that in, however he regretted it as soon as the sounds passed his lips.  
  
"Argh," She grunted in exasperation as she re-clenched her knuckles and ran from the room.  
  
"Sanctuary!" Georgie screamed as she ran literally into the room, the heavy door echoed by banging into the back wall with an eerie thud.  
  
"Dramatics...." Professor Snape returned his gaze to the end of term papers of the First Year students--always better to get those out of the way first. He always found them to be the most taxing and dull of any of the years, so to get them out of the way was always Severus' first goal.  
  
"Day one's finally done. Er, that almost rhymes...I'm a poet, aren't I? A poet and I didn't even know it!" She sniveled. She was referring to the first of four days of testing for her. Not exactly the usual N.E.W.T.S, but comparable. Her testing procedures, like always, were a little different.  
  
"Oh, yes. A regular Shelley or Frost."  
  
Georgie sprawled out along the opposite sofa and put her feet up and closed her eyes with a definitive sigh. In the process she knocked her schoolbook onto the floor.  
  
"Interesting. I had just minutes before come here after saying to Flitwick that only here--in my sanctum sanctorum--could I properly get through this pile of rubbish."  
  
She opened a gleaming brown eye. "Ah, ya big softie. Tell us how you really feel 'bout those First Years."  
  
"You miss the point." You always do, he thought with a sense of sobriety.  
  
She let whatever had got to him slip by. There was a week left, so she couldn't afford to start something between them.  
  
"How was your day?" It was a funny little ritual with them by now and Georgie joked with Minerva about how it had a sort of creepy hint of 'Honey, I'm home...' to it. Speaking of Minerva... "Do you know what Minerva actually had the gall to suggest!" She sat up and her hands went automatically to her hips.  
  
Severus looked up and took in her queer positioning and chuckled silently to himself, "I cannot imagine."  
  
"She said that as I'm 'competent' in her subject, so that I wouldn't be tested in it at all."  
  
"Yes. What the gall indeed."  
  
"Would you let me finish? Anyhow, then I was just mentioning in passing about how I felt in need of becoming better in shape, so she suggests that be my testing. Not fair. I'm a lump, but that should have no bearing on scholastic issues. Really, there should be uniformity all across the board- -it's when we break down the students into sub-categories to assess and test their strength and thus set them apart, do we open the door wide for feelings of inadequacy and failure."  
  
"All fine words for excusing your laziness."  
  
She hissed at him, but he ignored it rightly. "Well imagine if you were in school and James Potter was tested in Potions for Potions class and you were tested in a Quidditch match for the same class. Not fair then, eh?"  
  
"You've made you're point. Potter would have still ended up failing and I would have had to resort to cheating."  
  
"Lovely." Georgie snorted. "You didn't really cheat did you?"  
  
He sat back and a deep rumbling escaped from his throat. He was outright laughing at her. "Georgie, things were different then and I of course was just as different. If I did would it make a difference?" He continued in his laughter.  
  
She crossed her arms over her chest, "Prolly not, I just think it's bad. Stupid question." She'd gotten her answer anyhow.  
  
"I never cheated in any class if it makes you feel any better for me."  
  
"Stop laughing at me," she warned him seriously.  
  
"I'm not laughing so much at you. Rather just at how I forget that you can be rather inexperienced at times--at least in the extent of this particular Wizarding School and it's protocol in the past." Nice save, she thought to herself.  
  
"You lie well enough. You should run for public office." Her countenance brightened considerably. "So then you cheated in Quidditch or something perhaps? Or was it just in the extracurricular activities? Wreaking havoc during meals and in the library...."  
  
"For some extremely singular reason you have a sort of over-romanticized view of mischief. Mischief makes most normal people upset--dangerous steps to take." He stopped himself from overstepping any bounds by pointing out shortcomings or voicing any other warnings of impending doom. She never stopped long enough to listen to him, and when she did she never took him seriously. No Georgie, like a younger Severus Snape, had to make her own mistakes to learn from them properly.  
  
"So wait...." Her squeaking voice interrupted any further thoughts. "If I send an owl to Dar-O-gan, will you get it then?" Severus constantly surrounding himself with concealing spells and he even admitted it was difficult for Dumbledore to get hold of him at times.  
  
"If it gets to Darogan, yes I will see it."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise." He half-smiled at her childish antics. "Why do you want to send me an owl?"  
  
"Just like to know where you are--not as if I want to stalk you or anything funny like that, just I like to know where you are because...because it's nice to know where you are. That you're....there, and all." Georgie's face heated up and at that moment she was so very appreciative that her face wasn't as obvious to the rest of the world as it was to herself.  
  
"Suit yourself." He tapped his quill absently on the inkbottle. "I can always find you as well. I'm not very, er, pleasant when writing letters, and the majority of the time I ignore them in the logical favor of things more pressing. But I will make some effort not to pass you by entirely during the summer holidays."  
  
She beamed on him. "You read my mind, don't know how you do that. I'm just transparent--I've said it before. Good, that you'll try is all I ask."  
  
"You must have some idea of what your plans are by this late point in time." Snape baited.  
  
She giggled, "I figured it out simply weeks ago: I just couldn't be bothered to tell you." She giggled a bit longer and paused for dramatic effect. "I'm taking a class and I'm working in a Pub in London. It's going to be such fun." She picked at her fingernails absently. "Wait. How would you find me?"  
  
He leered down his hooked nose at her. "If I need to find you, I'll find you."  
  
"And until then I sit on my hands and hope and pray every night that dear friend Snape remembers me." She prattled along in an insipid sing-songy voice.  
  
"If it were only that easy to forget."  
  
"Ach, ya big softie." She shooed her hand at him.  
  
"I don't care." He nearly stuttered. Blast it all man! Control yourself, there's no place for sentimentality or softness now--she's going to leave you soon enough, you'll see it all: She'll forget you in time.  
  
She sniffed. "Nor do I." Taking up a cushion from the sofa she lofted it at a surprised Snape. "Sometimes I wish I could do something that you couldn't--you know, be better'n you at just one stupid little thing. It's not fair."  
  
"You say that a lot."  
  
"It's true."  
  
"Is it now?" He toyed with her. "I wonder what your basis for comparison is."  
  
"As far as I can see it is. Even Professor Dumbledore says you were the brightest student he's ever seen. That's saying quite a bit, and I'm not just saying that because the man's seen so many students and he's ancient."  
  
"You shouldn't call him ancient. If you live to be that old you'd be insulted."  
  
"So I would be. But you're trying to change the subject. I was trying to say something: Oh yes, that you're hard to keep up with."  
  
He frowned apparently deep in thought and leaving Georgie wiggling in her seat, wondering what exactly she'd just said. His own mind was attacking a certain idea, toying with it for a few scant seconds--and the idea wasn't even a new one to him. Dumbledore said and did everything for a reason--a wholly controlled man in everything. Severus envied the man, if he envied anyone at all, which maybe he didn't. There was something in Albus' telling Georgie this. In fact, the more he thought of it, there was a motive behind Georgie's presence with him from the very beginning....  
  
"Did you ever eat paste as a child?" She blinked at him patiently.  
  
"Er, I don't recall." Wondering as to what on earth this could be connected to.  
  
"I wonder what it tastes like."  
  
He sighed and abandoned all hope of finishing the corrections of the exams at that point. He didn't mind the conversations they had, even when Georgie showed herself to be in a 'mood' as he dubbed it. No, precious little amused him these days, and he tolerated even less of those things that did. So he let her prattle on about eating paste and whether it was toxic, and perhaps she should pick some up from town next time to try just a teensy bit....  
  
He rose to his feet and rounded the sofa to the bookshelf against the wall by the door to the Common Room. He always conversed better with a book in his hand--he got that from his grandfather, a great man.  
  
"Don't eat it." He returned and half-heartedly attempted to persuade her from her research.  
  
"Oh, of course I wouldn't really eat it!" She giggled. "Still, one does wonder what it tastes like, if you don't remember."  
  
"Don't be an imbecile. There are hundreds of things of which I cannot tell how it would taste, yet I am quite able to refrain from sticking them heedlessly into my mouth."  
  
"Really?" She smirked with a haughty air. She stared at him dead-on. "So you are telling me what exactly? Please, you are of course the Potions Master here, teach me something. My brain's dusty from disuse. Share some great gem of knowledge. So I'm not to research on myself is that it, or something else?"  
  
He did not appreciate being mocked all the same. "Precisely. Do not test anything out on yourself. It is foolhardy and dangerous--no exceptions. End of discussion. Do you understand that fully?"  
  
She gaped at him loopily, then drew herself up very straight and proper. "May I have your permission to show you something?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
She leapt off of her couch and leapt right on to the one Severus was seated on, right beside him. She reached across his body and snatched at his skeletal forearm, wrenched it towards herself, threw back layers of sleeves and lifted his own arm up to Severus' blatantly confused gaze.  
  
His eyes narrowed and his face blanched with rage. Then just as it came, it diminished. "Point taken." He whispered as he reclaimed his own arm, and lowered his sleeves down over the blue-tinges covering his wrists. Indeed they ran all the way up to his neck and covered his body in great ugly splotches.  
  
"Come on, let's go see what's happening in the kitchens, we can stretch our legs and play Spy in the corridors." She was just pleased that he wasn't pummeling her. There was always one moment when it felt, well dangerous, to push Severus in that sort of a way. But he wasn't as excitable or conceited as when she'd first met him. Perhaps she was becoming too confident for her own good....  
  
"You can go on without me, I need to finish up here for awhile."  
  
"Suite yourself, Snape." And she bolted through the door.  
  
At last, at last he was nearly through the second years' pile of exams. What remarkable progress he made when left to his own devices. And ahead of schedule. Why, he'd have time to spare by the end of the week. Maybe get a jump on the next year's lesson plans...  
  
But there would be no more progress that afternoon as the Potions Professor would be receiving a visitor.  
  
Georgie was walking the corridors on her tiptoes. She wasn't exactly sure as to the reason for this, but she didn't bother to curb her behavior in the least. She passed the Bloody Baron and muttered a curt greeting to the apparition as she passed it, eyeing the man from behind veiled eyelids. That was coming to be her person stance for tuning something or someone out. It annoyed Siobhan to no end, but no one else made the connection as of yet. And it really was something of a subconscious behavior anyhow.  
  
She knew where to find the dour Potions Master, but she was putting that off as a last resort. Severus was lovely, but she knew better than to go to him right off with no substantial aim, and to expect him to entertain or even humor her boredom.  
  
She tried to leave him well enough alone, truly she did, but her retched curiosity brought her right into the steamy classroom where Snape was utilizing a student's worktable and two iron cauldrons. She continued her tiptoe farce, even though she knew he would be in no humor for it. Still she tried. It was always a surprise to see what he laughed at, what he ignored, and what he belittled her for. It was a fair judge of his moods right from the start.  
  
"Hulloa." She drawled lazily. as she swayed in place on her tiptoes, with her hands behind her back. Usually she only made eye contact when it was absolutely required that she do so: A holdover from her days at The Institute. Culture there dictated that every time a Professor entered or exited the classroom the students must all rise to their feet out of respect. Also approaching a Professor in and of itself was generally frowned upon, and old habits are hard to break Georgie found.  
  
But today she was feeling exceedingly bold and assertive. She felt like pushing people's buttons. "What are you up to?"  
  
Snape snorted at the audacity and ignored her for the time being. This was important and he didn't have time to be distracted. If she had something to say or to ask, she certainly could wait.  
  
She stopped swaying long enough to inspect the ingredients lain out on the worktable. "What are you making?" She ventured at what seemed to be a lull in his movements. She fingered what she looked to be finely chopped Mandrake. She turned her nose up at it.  
  
His eyes glittered up at her as he straightened himself to his full imposing height. "What does it look like I'm masking? Use your eyes, witch." It wasn't a cruelly toned dart, but rather a true, challenging question.  
  
He was obviously making a variation on the Mandrake Restorative Draft-- though why the bezoar was eluding her at the moment. Petrifaction usually came about from some curse or charm, not from any poison. God, in heaven, Hagrid might've gotten a Medusa Harpy. "I'm not your student." She bristled. "Don't speak to me like one."  
  
"Using one's mind never hurt anyone, even in dire cases such as your own." He sneered. He joined her at the smooth surface of the worktable and head bent over he unrolled a rough burlap roll and retrieved from it, sever hunks of fleshy consistency. He set this aside, rolled the burlap once again then turned his attention to his paring knife.  
  
Georgie sighed and turned to stand shoulder to shoulder with the man at the table. She sifted out the bezoars from a canister, and deposited several into a stone mortar. "Crushed, correct?" She queried, and attacked the difficult stuff with energy. She had a philosophy, perhaps better attuned to a Hufflepuff mentality, but should there be work to do and one's around, one really ought to just get down and get to it, instead of bitch about whose job it is and why one shouldn't be forced to help out.  
  
"I want a harpy too. It's a pity they make such retched pets." She muttered. In all honesty she had no desire for a Harpy, let alone to see one anywhere near the school. But she figured it would be an appropriate utterance at a lull in conversation. Very Georgie-esque, she mused.  
  
"I found you something today." Georgie announced in a sort of level and humorless tone.  
  
"Oh?" Severus didn't turn his eyes away from the ingredients in his hands. He was fully capable of carrying out two tasks at the same time. It was more efficient anyhow.  
  
"Well, I thought they were lovely, striking colors and fragrant, and I know you're generally not into the aesthetic and the seasons and Earth Magic and all, but I felt it, so here." She apologized as she took from her pocket a leaf.  
  
He finished his task then turned on the leaf lying on the worktable a bit above the ingredients laid out in preparation. "What am I supposed to do with it?" He narrowed his eyes at her.  
  
"I knew I shouldn't have said anything." She shrugged and handed over to his side of the worktable the bezoar. "I just had a feeling today and I was moved by the trees and the winds blowing and there's a patch of heather growing out of season down the hill towards the lake, and it was all, just......." She sighed. Never mind. She turned around and headed for the closed door out to the dungeon corridor.  
  
As she slipped out into the smooth, hewn stone underfoot, she turned around and called at Snape's back "I don't know how you do it either. How you can you be so blind? To miss the colors surrounding us, to feel the sun, dipping through clouds. Not even that you walk around avoiding it, or you're colorblind. And the grand thing about all this is that you just don't care. You're so...unromantic." She snorted at the probably asinine choice of wording as she turned on her heels.  
  
It was no use trying to make him see the world through her eyes, or even through his own eyes. At first she thought he could be rehabilitated. But that never lasted long. She'd have been appalled if it had worked. Who wants to bother over a person with no backbone? She began to wonder though, if all Severus possessed was backbone.  
  
Georgie sat with Siobhan at the Slytherin table that evening at dinner. Georgie had come up behind the girl as she was entering into the Great Hall and they fell into such a pleasant conversation that Georgie was desirous of continuing it immediately and not under the noses of those discerning and proper Professors. Yes, some would have found such frivolous gossiping to be in poor taste, but then no one had alerted either of the girls to this fact.  
  
Niamh entered in shortly afterwards and listened to the other girls, but didn't join in. She had been so quiet lately, Georgie surmised it had to do with going home for the summertime and being a bit sad over the prospect of not seeing a certain someone. They hurried out on finally noticing that they were the last students still lingering about.  
  
"Would you fucking stop being so tall?" She had literally jumped on perceiving The Potions Master towering right behind her as he had followed her into the room.  
  
"As you wish," He sneered at her. "And to what do I owe the honor of this foul mood?" He cast aside the cloak she had deposited onto the back of his sofa. It landed with a flutter a few paces behind her and she wound her way around the lounge and back to where she started. She grunted and retrieved the article and banished it to her room.  
  
"I'm fine." Her eyes flashed and she fought for control of her voice and it's volume. "This has been the most lovely day of my life. Lovely." She nearly screamed.  
  
Severus didn't want to know, and she didn't want to divulge. She just wanted her mind taken away from... "What're you reading?" She stopped her impromptu tirade long enough to glance at Severus and cast herself upon her sofa.  
  
"Nothing of interest to you, I am sure."  
  
"You are a fish-monger."  
  
Severus smiled wryly. "What a piece of work is man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable; in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god: the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals-and yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? Man delights not me."  
  
"No, nor woman neither...."  
  
He looked up at her curiously. "Perhaps you will think that I will have 'lost all mirth' as well?"  
  
"I never saw any to begin with."  
  
"Catty aren't we?" Snape smiled broader than he had in days. "Your hair looks like an owl in an ivy bush. Did you get up to some trouble?" He pointed at her with the spine of his closed book.  
  
"Trouble?" She spat the word back at him. "What sort of trouble could I get into here? At Hogwarts? On the grounds of the safest school in all of the world?" She swept her arms grandiosely about the room.  
  
"I feel like we're playing the question game: What happened while I was away? The dog died. How did the dog die? When your home burned down. How did my home burn? A candle fell from your wife's funeral. How did...? Oh, go on for goodness sake. I don't care, and I won't wrestle it out of you. Be obstinate if you like--I won't stop you."  
  
"And you were saying I was out of sorts today. I was going to give you a nasty look, but I see you've already got one." She grinned, happy at getting a reaction from him. She settled back into her cushions and closed her eyes before speaking. "I've got good news."  
  
He glanced up and gave her a sharp look. "Yes?"  
  
She smiled slyly. "Later."  
  
He looked away. "It has been quite a long time since you have produced your guitar. I'm rather glad for the quiet it's allowed. No more screeching and twanging away at that blasted thing. No more moody dirges. I'm extremely grateful." She took all that up in silence, but he could see the gears turning in her head.  
  
When she returned half an hour later with the thing under her arm, he was all in amazement at how easily led and persuaded she could be. He gathered that she knew what he was up to most of the time, but it still amazed him that she...well, put up with him. It was all rather humorous. In the most pathetic of ways of course.  
  
I don't mind,  
  
I don't mind if you forget me  
  
having learned my lesson.  
  
I never left an impression on anyone  
  
so now you send me your hardened 'regards'  
  
when once you'd send me 'love'  
  
sincerely I must tell you  
  
your mild 'best wishes'  
  
they make me suspicious  
  
but I don't mind.  
  
I don't mind if you forget me  
  
having learned my lesson  
  
I never left  
  
an impression on anyone  
  
the pressure to change, to move on  
  
was strange  
  
and very strong  
  
so this is why I tell you  
  
I really do understand.  
  
BYE BYE  
  
I don't mind if you forget me  
  
no no no no no no no  
  
REJECTION IS ONE THING  
  
BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL  
  
IS CRUEL  
  
REJECTION IS ONE THING  
  
BUT REJECTION FROM A FOOL  
  
IS CRUEL  
  
and I don't mind if you forget me  
  
I don't mind if you forget me  
  
"Georgie, you're very predictable." She beamed on him, squinting her eyes up into mirrors of his cold ones.  
  
"So..." She swept a stray frizzy curl from her eyesight. "Had any fun with the ol' D.E.s?  
  
"Pardon me? D.E.s? Whatever do you..." He stopped and scowled. "Oh, how trite of you."  
  
"Yes, well I rather thought it was clever. Sounds like the old D.T.'s a bit."  
  
"Excepting that with Death Eaters there is less compulsion to lump it all and run back to the bottle." She shot him a sidelong glance. "No, you're right; there is no difference." They laughed nervously to themselves. "Has Dumbledore said anything to you then?"  
  
"No, just getting rusty at brewing that's all," she baited.  
  
"Oh, well if that's all, let me just remove a finger for your enjoyment."  
  
"Aw, you're the sweetest. Would you really?"  
  
"Anyhow, I'm going out of country this weekend."  
  
"Damn, and it's the last one!" She whined and furled her brow.  
  
"Oh, how dejected you look. I know it can't be real. You're just a fine actress." She bowed. "No, I'm attending a social function. I've managed to excuse myself from it the past five years, but not this year..." He ran his hand through his stringy hair.  
  
"Unfortunate." She shrugged.  
  
More than you'll ever realize, he thought to himself. "Yes, well, can't do much about it."  
  
"Will you need any help?" He shot her a nasty glance "From anyone at all?"  
  
"I could use help on this 'errand', however I am not desirous of any specific person's assistance." Perhaps in future...no, never would he ask that.  
  
"Yes, but--"  
  
He interrupted her. "I repeat myself by saying that I am not accepting of any person's assistance, even though I acknowledge that I need it."  
  
He was getting better.... "If you want to increase your insanity, avoid the asylum." She pointed out.  
  
"You're a wit Georgie."  
  
"Better that than a dim one." She glared at him. "So shall I prepare bandages now or later?"  
  
"A social gathering."  
  
"Ah yes." She smiled. "And all the times you go out with your little friends you just go out for a pint and tell off-color jokes. I repeat myself: bandages?"  
  
Severus frowned and looked on her with scrutiny. "When did you get to be so impertinent?"  
  
She never did answer him. 


	26. Chapter Twenty Six An Ending of Sorts

Chapter Twenty-Six -- An Ending of Sorts  
  
Days passed much to Georgie's annoyance, and time wound down to the last days of school. A particularly fine day found Georgie sitting and stretching to touch her toes in the grass beside a hovering Minerva.  
  
Siobhan and Niamh were sitting in the shade of a massive oak tree a ways off and Professors Lupin and Sprout were chatting idly on a bench they had conjured. It was all--quite unfortunately all owing to the obstacle course Minerva was forcing Georgie to run in lieu of a real exam. Georgie had more than once pondered this sadistic side of Minerva's personality. Lupin thought that the idea was the most entertaining thing he'd heard all week. Georgie wasn't speaking to him.  
  
At least the majority of students weren't outside--perhaps they had classes, perhaps they were packing--who knew? She was just happy they hadn't turned up for the spectacle of her huffing around in shorts. Georgie was going to murder Siobhan for her big mouth....  
  
Georgie let go of her ankles and scrambled to her feet. Minerva straightened up. "Do you understand the course?"  
  
"Yes." Georgie replied less than excitedly.  
  
"Chin up. This is for your own good—a personal challenge. However I'd thought you'd have been training for more than only this past week." Georgie rolled her eyes at the woman. "All right. We'll be here to cheer you on when you finish. Have fun." She winked as she produced a funny sparkling watch. "Alright...Go!"  
  
Georgie took off at a moderate jog towards the lakeshore. Damn that woman. Damn Siobhan and damn the rest of them for coming. I know they mean well, Georgie thought to herself, but they're only embarrassing me. She looked around for a quick way to cheat.  
  
Snape burst through the fireplace in a puff of green powder, but no one could have followed him through, on account of the lightning quick spell he cast to disconnect the portal. He didn't have time for this--he never had time for this. Damn Lucius...  
  
Georgie reappeared from the woods a mere hour after having started. There was a dark spot of sweat on her shirt and beads were running down her chin. Fine day my ass--it's hot, she huffed on. She spit as she came into sight of the agreed-upon finish line of the oak tree. Minerva saw that and looked away in disgust. Georgie laughed to herself in pleasure. Sometimes it was so much fun to upset that woman.  
  
She stumbled across the 'line' and Minerva alone approached her. "Congratulations. You've passed." Georgie put her hands on her knees and double-over wheezing. She cast a sideways glance up at the stately woman, and wiped sweat out of her eyes. "You wouldn't have really failed me." George stated that more than questioned.  
  
Minerva just smiled quietly down at her. Minerva spoke of cooling down and walking around a bit before her muscles cramped up, but her gaze kept lifting to Professor Lupin sitting sandwiched between the twins on the bench.  
  
Georgie straightened out and was able to breathe more normally. "Walk back with me, will you?" Georgie grabbed at the Professor's taffeta clad elbow. "Lord, it's too hot for black today, Minerva! Are you trying to make some sort of statement by wearing this?" They headed back towards the castle and both ladies soon forgot the scene behind them.  
  
"No statement as you say, I jut don't feel I could pull off the sort of attire you seem to fancy in the warmer weather."  
  
"I'll grant that, I mean this in the nicest way, but I couldn't very well see you in a tiny shirt and a pair of shorts."  
  
Minerva patted the girl's hand laced through her arm. "I'm from nearly a different time. Young witches today are blending in with Muggles more than when I was young. Even spending time in Muggle areas, making Muggles friends, having Muggle families. When I was in school, there was a public fear that if you associated with Muggles, you'd bring misfortune down upon your family. There was Grindelwald, then there was He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named, then he disappeared for awhile."  
  
"Now he's back." Georgie frowned.  
  
"Old habits are hard to kill, that's all I know." The let themselves into the building by way of the front door. Sunlight wafted down from the tall windows and from the open doors they passed along the corridor.  
  
"There will always be some Voldemort." Georgie allowed herself to be led to what she suspected Minerva's office. Georgie's mind wandered long enough to venture a hope that there might be a cold beverage waiting. It was sort of funny how more and more conversations turned towards darker subjects these days. Only with Hagrid was she mercifully spared, but she hadn't seen much of him lately. It was quite clear that this was on everyone's minds.  
  
"You do too lie, you know." She yawned, her mouth stretch wide, pushing shut her small dark eyes.  
  
"I do." He commented.  
  
"Yes, you do. And you trued to tell me you never do. The concession was nice, but never fully believed."  
  
"Snippy aren't we? Why do you think yourself so very clever all the sudden?"  
  
"Not all the sudden at all. I've always believed it, I just wanted to know reasons. I like reasons. You lie constantly, sometimes I can figure out why, other times I just accept the fact as another aspect of your life I can never complete comprehend. Just fine by me, mind you."  
  
"What's your point?" He frowned, staring down his hooked nose at her.  
  
"Just that I'm glad you've never really lied to me. I prefer your lying to Voldemort, even other people at Hogwarts who have business whatsoever ramming their fat bodies into your affairs. Lie, by all means, it's helped you to survive."  
  
"Don't flatter yourself too much. I've lied to you as well, though being forced to reconcile myself to certain facts, in the light of day..." He tossed his head.  
  
"I know." She smiled lightly.  
  
"You don't approve?" He half laughed.  
  
"I have no stone to cast. Good God, look at me! Am I above anyone else? I'm a walking nightmare. A real nobody." She laughed boisterously. "Besides you lie for all the best reasons, best intentions rather."  
  
She found the frayed carpet corner suddenly very fascinating, and refused to meet his glaring stare. But he was not about to let her feel comfortable just yet. It was a favorite game of his. The conversation trickled off for a moment, and he allowed himself to scrutinized her rationale. He wondered why she lied.  
  
Georgie wrapped her ratty blanket closer around herself so that it buckled her arms tight in against her sides. She wriggled her toes, belched loudly, and then shivered. The movements not lost on Severus. It was late now, and they were chatting idly about mundane things--trying to keep the mood light.  
  
Severus glared at her as he was about to hand her a glass, but thought better of it and sat it instead on the table between them. He'd seen her spill on herself more than a few times when wrestling with her blankets, and though the clean up isn't at all difficult, he still wasn't going to set up an accident. "Good news?" He raised his eyebrows in expectation. He'd been nettling her in a way only Severus could to stop acting like she held anything of interest to him and just talk, or he'd set fire to her robes.  
  
"I'm coming back." She started simply, with an almost shy smile.  
  
He nodded and didn't speak. He brought the goblet up to his eyes and he spun it round in his hands, taking in the intricate detail. She watched him, knowing that he had his own time for things.  
  
He lowered the glass and sought her eyes. "This is something many people would find perhaps unthinkable of me to say. I am..." his eyes narrowed and Georgie could almost read the effort it was taking in his eyes. It was as if, 'I can't believe I'm going to say this' was printed there, clear as day. "I am...pleased you've decided to stay to teach." She finally allowed herself to relax and to smile. Stupid how one dour man's opinion mattered so much.  
  
He was drinking quite hard tonight, though he never lost control, that would be death or an equally dire personal failing. He always held control. Though his reactions and senses functioned just fine, his tongue was unusually loosened tonight. But that part of his mind that objected or fought this, he found had dissolved for the time being. He continued, "I am not at all pleased with our society's current evolved circumstances and the pitiable fact that it's taken such a long time to finally force Albus' hand to reinstate this position," He added sourly. Georgie wasn't going to be baited into yet another discussion of how dire the times were, and Severus picked up on this.  
  
"Won't you feel stifled here?" He asked, handing round the goblet one again absentmindedly.  
  
"No, I really don't think I will. I'm starting to like it here." She explained seriously.  
  
"You like it....here?" He smirked.  
  
"Yes, I like it here." She wagged her head at him. Yes, she would get used to this place all over again and find her own way in this funny new world of hers. At least it was hers, a place of her own.  
  
"And your parents..."  
  
"Why did you have to go and ask that?" Her smile dropped.  
  
"I enjoy being difficult."  
  
She shot him a look, "Thank you Captain Obvious." She flushed with pleasure; she'd gotten that from a movie. "No, my parents weren't as warm to the idea as you or anyone else. They were hoping I'd not choose to stick it out here--too dangerous my mother says, but you know how mothers can be."  
  
Severus smiled for her sake.  
  
"They were hoping...hell, I don't even know what they were hoping. Funny, isn't it?" Her gaze flew everywhere possibly else it could within the room.  
  
"May I ask you a real question?" Severus' smile vanished and he looked all seriousness at his companion.  
  
"Of course." She bit her lip in response.  
  
"If there wasn't sufficient evidence towards my thinking this, I would never breech such a subject, but I wonder, are you frightened of me?" He steepled his fingers and gazed over his fingertips through her.  
  
Georgie took her time carefully picking and wording her reply. "That is a question which I've asked myself many times. I'm afraid I cannot give a concise answer to allay whatever curiosity is eating at you. No." She frowned at her thoughts. "No, I am not frightened of you. I am frightened by sometimes how you'll react--but I bring that upon myself. You're a trifle unpredictable. I am often surprised and taken-aback. For all I know of you, I sometimes think that we've barely scratched the surface of knowing one another." She bit her lip and sought his face to perhaps gauge his feelings on what she was saying. "I sometimes feel that if I knew you, knew your thoughts and history and motivations clearer, that there might be reason for me to be frightened. But in the same breath, I don't wish to remove you from my esteem."  
  
He nodded his understanding as she plowed on. "I feel at times that I keep myself in check with not only you, but with everyone around me. I play to strangers very well, so that no one knows it's an act. I've done that for years. It's a rare thing indeed when I am acting entirely as myself. I believe you do altogether too much of that as well. But at least you have a life-or-death excuse. Me, I just can't stand people getting really close to me."  
  
"Why?" He smiled slightly at her showing mild incredulity.  
  
Her eyes took on a faraway look and she smiled up at the ceiling. "I don't often share who I am, because other may not like who I am, and I'm all I have." She met his eyes. "I read that once and it stuck with me. At least I know that I'm not alone in that sentiment."  
  
"I think you share a great deal." He pointed out to her.  
  
"Only what I feel comfortable sharing. It's easier to fall down stairs and be the butt of a joke, than it is to admit one's needy. I'm always in control of what I share and how much I show of my true self. I don't think anyone really knows my true self. Even the bad habits and the stupid outbursts are controlled."  
  
"And you're alright with that?" He smirked at her, imagining the shortcomings to such a philosophy.  
  
"No problems thus far. It's all rather like flirting with everyone you know, though you don't have any one person in mind. Just really like tease then run away."  
  
"What of the control? So far you've always had control for the most part. What if a day comes and you don't have the luxury?" He furled his brow. He was loath to admit, but it was these moments of the closest they'd gotten towards honesty, that he truly enjoyed her company.  
  
She smiled and found his eyes. "Hopefully the real me will be able to stand up on my own two legs. Hopefully."  
  
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I feel like by this admittance that, firstly, I've been misled all this year by a sneaky little chit of a witch, and that secondly, you are perhaps much cleverer than I give you credit for." Truth be told it was a delight to him.  
  
He shot her a sidelong glance. "At times I've felt that intellectually, you've been holding back, and I've concluded that you must have your reasons for this charade. Or that you really were that naive and stupid. But this was all a ruse, set up to protect you from feeling things. Just as naive and stupid, but different." She rolled her eyes in childish annoyance.  
  
He glared at her, nearly furious. "Pot calling the kettle black, but you cannot escape emotions and human interactions. Nobody lives without them. Trust me I've tried."  
  
"Thanks for that, but I seem to have gotten away with quite a bit so far by living as I see fit. Life unworthy of life and all that. Harsh words, but a base sentiment. Especially rich coming from you." She choked at having actually said that aloud.  
  
He wasn't taken aback at all by her words though. "Do as you need to do."  
  
"I don't believe I'll see you much over the summer." Georgie played with the edging on her blanket.  
  
Severus chuckled despite himself. "I daresay you'll survive that great calamity unscathed." He swung into full out sarcastic Severus mood. "What will you do? Cry yourself to sleep? Or perhaps daydream, or write your friend pithy postcards lying when you say 'wish you were here?' Yes, I think you'll survive just as you always have. I will do likewise. " His eyes gleamed.  
  
She shook her head, "You're the biggest prick sometimes," she giggled. "I didn't mean that at all, but there isn't another way of expressing it! Nothing proper whatsoever. At least that I can wrap my brain around. You can be such an ass, but I'm glad you're on the right side and all. " She removed her hands from the blankets, "You know..." She lifted her goblet and still managed to point a finger at him. "You're very lucky to have me around, sir." She shivered now that her arms were exposed to the dungeon chill.  
  
Snape waved his arm to bring a rollicking green flame to life, ignoring her rolling her eyes. So childish sometimes, they both thought of one another. He considered that they were both socially retarded for some reason or another, perhaps that's why they got on so well. He lazily lifted his glass, "To your return then?"  
  
She lifted her glass to his, a gesture rare with them. She fingered her necklace chain with her other hand, "So will you being spying on me all summer."  
  
"I do not spy, nor will it be all summer long." He pointed out. She always held an over-romanticized view of what he did. "You will be returning here early enough." He smirked.  
  
"Fab." She replied half-heartedly. "I'm off to Poland first, then to Sophie's," She volunteered to Snape's surprise. "Well, just make sure that I don't fall in a ditch, or take a wrong turn on the way to Canada or something like that."  
  
"You don't need any help from me."  
  
"Thanks." She smiled genuinely at him. "Dumbledore told me I wasn't to bother you over the summer, so I won't."  
  
"He did, did he?" This was news to him; he would remember to ask the old man about the meaning of that later on. "Well, you are training and I'm quite busy. Distraction would hurt both of us."  
  
"I kinda like being a distraction."  
  
He ignored that. "You have everything packed?"  
  
"Yes, mother." She snapped. "After the feast tomorrow Hagrid's helping me to Hogsmeade. My things will go on to my flat in town--It's all arranged for me. This place holds a special place for me though. It's a pity I couldn't stay on a bit longer here."  
  
"A pity," Severus repeated. Georgie was anxious to smooth things over with her parents before her training began in a little over a week. In that time she needed to meet her parents at her Aunt's house and stop by Poland to spend a weekend with a few old friends.  
  
Severus knew he should say something. Something comforting and helpful, or wise, that she could remember and take with her. Nothing like that sprang naturally to his mind. And it wasn't like him to be so expressive. Though lately he doubted whether he knew himself at all.  
  
"You will hear from me while you're in town. It's a promise I intend to keep."  
  
Georgie was impressed and her face expressed this adequately. "I'd like that."  
  
"You're not worried?"  
  
"About that? Not as much as I'm worried about failing. They don't even compare do they? It's such a big thing, and I'm such a little person compared to the grand schemes of things: wars, and state departments, and ministries and training the next generation. It's all very heavy on me right now, but I'll survive as you say."  
  
"Duty gets you through much, doesn't it?"  
  
"Pity that it takes drastic measures..."  
  
The end came and went in a mind-numbing blur. Georgie had said quick goodbyes to everyone and the quickest goodbye went to Snape who stared at her, nodded when she said goodbye, then turned on his heels and returned to his dungeons.  
  
Hagrid alone had escorted Georgie to Hogsmeade and had burst into tears as he gruffly thumped her on the back. Georgie stiffened under the embarrassment of the scene they made standing outside of the Three Broomsticks. She felt for Hagrid, but just couldn't bring herself to show it on a public street. Besides he cried when someone swatted at a fly.  
  
Once Hagrid had left she slipped into the Three Broomsticks for a quick...something. The place was nearly empty save for a few people huddle heads together over a couple of tables. Georgie nonchalantly scanned the room for any familiar faces, and not seeing any she proceeded to a corner table to sit by herself. Once her order had been placed, Georgie allowed herself a minute to heave a sigh of relief. It was over, all really over. Funny, how it finally pounds its way into your head that it's real. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself as she massaged her temples. What a fascinating year. She felt as if he'd experienced five years worth of madness within the short span. And how she sincerely wished she'd kept a better journal that year! She couldn't ever imagine forgetting things like meeting the twins, or the Enchanted bat Nacho during Halloween, but at some point she might. And that trip with Andrew and Lupin and Snape where they heard about....  
  
"You seem to be thoroughly enjoying some fantasy of the mind. Care to share it?" Georgie's eyes flew open and she narrowed her eyes instantaneously at the speaker.  
  
It was no one she'd met before, though in the same breath he seemed familiar. He was an older man—he looked to be middle-aged and impeccably dressed, with a queer sort of lecherous smile. Oh stop that! She scolded herself, the suspicions of everyone around me has been warping my mind.  
  
"I'd rather not. It's much more fun to selfishly keep certain thoughts to one's self. Wouldn't want to shock the general population or else share too much about myself too soon. If I told who I was right off, what fun would that be?" She smiled quirkily right back.  
  
Then to her surprise the man had the audacity to sit down at her table. "I quite agree. Besides there are certain people that I have no desire to learn more about." Damnit, she thought, He reminds me of someone...the way he drawls at the end of his sentences...and now the lumping together people....  
  
She frowned. "Such as?"  
  
"I'm sure we don't run in the same circles." He flicked his wrist to dismiss the idea. Georgie wanted to challenge this assumption, regardless of the fact that she knew a mere handful of people outside of her Hogwarts group, but right then her Butterbeer arrived.  
  
"Aren't you going to get anything?" She smirked as she thought how now he must think of her--ordering a Butterbeer.  
  
"No, I had finished an appointment with an acquaintance and I was just about to leave when I saw you walk in, a vision, and I couldn't help myself but to come see you."  
  
She ignored the 'her being a vision' bit. Men were so insipid sometimes. And stared not at his face, but at his long blonde, almost white hair. She didn't see how he watched her down his nose, and nearly laughed at her. She drank deeply of her glass, "Well, I suppose now you've seen me."  
  
"I have. But you haven't met me."  
  
That's quite true. But don't you mean that we haven't exactly met?  
  
"Noooo, I meant exactly what I said, I know who you are, but you don't know me. I felt that was an unfair advantage." She calmly set her glass down at the end of her fingertips and tried to quell that sick feeling rising in her stomach. Situations like this didn't often end well.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
He laughed dryly, "Such a direct question, unfortunately will not receives such a direct answer. No, I've heard about you. We share a few common acquaintances, which strangely enough never mentioned you, so when I heard about you through entirely different channels, I thought that some day I had to meet you in person. You're to be Hogwarts newest teacher. And in a field I'm not altogether sure is necessary."  
  
She felt he was baiting her and she didn't want to play his asinine game. "Who are you.?"  
  
"As I said," He stretched out in his low wooded chair and brushed something off of his cloak's arm. "I've heard about you. Quite a bit actually. I'm surprised you haven't heard about me, although..." His eyes took on a far- away look and his mouth set in a grim line. "Perhaps you haven't."  
  
Georgie allowed her mind to drift as he occupied himself with his own thoughts. He would have been handsome if he wiped that nasty haughty look off of his face.  
  
"Well, sir," She wined, "I must be leaving."  
  
"Yes you must, you've been tarrying here too long as it is." She nearly shrank back when he stood up abruptly. For a second she thought he might hit her. "Finish that then run away to whatever home you can find and remain there."  
  
She shot him the lowest look she could muster, which seemed to only make him bully her even more. Some people were born to order others about, and it seemed natural for him to tell her what to do and for others to do it-- almost natural.  
  
She stood up in defiance. Gathering her cloak about herself, she felt that she had to beat the man out of the establishment as a matter of principle or cheek.  
  
"We will meet again, until then. Try to enjoy your time here." She wondered what the devil that was supposed to mean.  
  
Cocky bastard..."Thank you sir, and I wish you the best...." Whatever that was supposed to mean, she knew it sounded ridiculous, but she just wanted to get going.  
  
She felt his eyes follow her as she quickly left the table and disappeared from his sight.  
  
Hagrid put it in mind to tell Snape that as he passed The Three Broomsticks heading back toward Hogwarts after having taken care of his business in the village, he'd seen Georgie inside sitting with Mr. Malfoy. And it was such a strange thing that he thought he ought to remember to relate it to the Potions Master, but by the time Hagrid saw Professor Snape again it had completely slipped his mind.  
  
Severus sat inside his bedchamber; it was an odd feeling now to sit out in the lounge. He felt that even if he lit a fire the place wouldn't quite be the same. A pity and a blessing in the same breath. He had only a few minutes to spare but he felt he needed to write in his journal--an archaic habit, but one he still took seriously.  
  
He purposefully opened a drawer in his heavy desk and produced the leather volume--this was a relatively full one--perhaps more so this year than any other year had he had so much to record: A singular occurrence. He opened the book to the next blank entry and dipped in his quill. His mind raced ahead of him. He scribbled about his experiments and the theories he hoped to test with his free time. The hopes that his schedule could now take on more consistent hours and the prospect carried his quill away. But at a pause in his writing, his gaze lifted and his spirits sank the teensiest bit. What was it all for? What was the work for? Severus knew he had miles to go before he slept, but now he felt a renewed sense of...perhaps duty or pride?...in completing those miles. He wasn't merely doing penance for his sin; he wasn't feeling altruistic for some vague Peace-on-Earth reason any longer.  
  
He considered for a second his writing, and then wrote a most uncharacteristic thing in his journal, though it was becoming more common as he attempted more and more often to analyze his position.  
  
I don't dislike her; that I am sure of. A funny phrase, 'sure,' coming from the likes of me. I cannot help but to be what I m, and she what she is. I think it is the unfamiliarity with the amount of emotion she forces to rise up within me. I can fight his in everyone else, but not against her. She seems to know. To read people. To annoy them. Especially me. It's no great wonder that when I say anything to her it comes out sounding cruel and curt. It's in direct response to the warning sign going off within myself. No, I don't dislike her. I wish to shut her up often, to, lock her in a cupboard, to force her to stop fidgeting ad to remain still, but it's not my place. And my trying would work adversely. It's almost a sad realization to come to seeing how this is how she will be , should I see her in a year or fifty years. She'll be fidgeting and giggling and random. Pity that she couldn't be more agreeable. I won't fool myself,: pity that she couldn't be more like me.  
  
After all these months, it's still taken Albus to alert me as to my own thoughts on how I view her. It's uncanny how the old man simply knows things; I detest admitting that he's correct constantly. I feel as if I've gained a sister. And it's a good feeling; I cannot almost believe it myself. No Snape has ever cared for a sibling in a good way before, but I do for her. I worry for her and excuse insipid and silly behavior. I'd be damned before anyone ever found that out, but it's true.  
  
Perhaps several hundred years from now when someone comes across my chronicled life and finds only death, ruin, coldness and regret, perhaps....perhaps, this will in some small way vindicate me from appearing to be the same unfeeling monster I once was. And still am. I doubt it will, but for me it makes all the difference in the world. I care for someone. I'm as amazed as you undeniably must be.  
  
He looked up at nothing in particular yet wrapped his mind around a saying Georgie was fond of when feeling like showing off her Latin language skills that she'd picked up at the Institute.  
  
Non tu scis, quom et alto puteo sursum ad summum escenderis, maximum periclum inde esse ab summo ne rursum cadas.  
  
When you have just climbed out of a deep well and are perched on top, you are in the greatest danger of falling in again.  
  
How appropriate. He shut the book and hid it away before snatching up his cloak and walking out to disappear away into another night of doing what he must.  
  
Georgie did not return the next school year, though Dumbledore kept abreast of her accomplishments and continued every summer to extend to her a position as staff at Hogwarts. Snape kept in touch with her and she with he, but not to the extent they both were accustomed to or desired for.  
  
After becoming a licensed Mediwitch ("a fucking damn good one too!"), She signed on as a Field Mediwitch for the Ministry. She was moved by the cause and felt her excellent skills ought to be employed in a more urgent manner. After the frustration of finding countless friends from the Ministry, and of course the Aurors, beyond her help or already dead, something began to grow within her. Only after a particularly close Auror friend died with his head in her lap, her helpless to do anything for him, did she recognize her sentiments for what it was--utter despair and hopelessness. "Our cause as it stands is a lost one," She'd wept. Those around her patted her shoulders and spoke pithy and appropriate words of consolation, but there was no kindred feeling.  
  
She gradually shut down within herself and secretly hoped that an opportunity would arise where her life could change from what it was now. She really wasn't sure she could carry on as she had been....  
  
A/N. Well, it's taken a long time yes, but I've finished the year out, and Am starting another. Let me know if you liked this one or things you might like to see. I like hearing from people. And thanks to every single person who reviewed and had the patience to read the story (it is long) and wait for the next chapters (slow in coming yes). Thank you all. 


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